Broody Hen Thread!

[elsfieldchickens]

latest broody sat on a goose egg

these twos eggs have just started to hatch

 

[cheepcheep riri]

Ok, so last night I went to go check on my broody to find an egg momma pushed out with no top and a chick inside. I, knowing it was dead, took it out of the egg, to see it. They were at day 13. It looked like a healthy chick and had everything ready except it just needed to be bigger. It had black feathers on it except for around the eyes. I knew it had a little crack on the top but knew it could survive. So I put it back very carefully. I had know idea that they would be this grown by day 13! I am sad but know these things happen. But I know I shouldn't have favorites even with eggs, but it was, my favorite. It was going to be a barred rock.
So 18 out of the original 20.

 

[Turkeytruff]

thank you - it's hard not to beat myself up for that one....
here are my broody hen/ turkey hen pair - althought the turkey hen is less committed to the whole enterprise than the hen. She's ,my best broody!

 

[jammyjammy2112]

my plain red hen has been walking around the coop for the past 6 or 7 days making a cluck cluck cluck noise does this mean she is going to go broody

 

[Tyaloria]

Darn, wish I had seen this thread! What a great idea. /img/smilies/smile.png I just posted in chicken behavior about  my crazy broody for advice. If anyone has a minute, take a look at my post about my gold laced wyandotte. Thanks!

I've had trouble with my gold laced too!
She went mad broody for over a month so I gave her eggs now she's not interested! I'm just thankful my sussex was happy to take over

 

[SoManyHats]

Hi all! I have a broody hen that hatched one chick for me on Thursday. Then Saturday night, we grafted 9 chicks I had ordered - they were 6 days old at the time. It worked beautifully, and my hen is a great mama! Anyway, the hatchery birds spent their first 4 days in the brooder. And as is often the case with hatchery birds, some of them had pasty butt. I cleaned them up before I gave them to her, but now I'm wondering what happens if it returns? Will she take care of it somehow? It will be near impossible for me to get any chicks away from her - and I might not even notice since they hang out under her so much. So now I'm worried about it. Thoughts?

 

[Dknichelson]

Well, only 2 of 5 eggs hatched, but the 2 that did are doing wonderfully! Here's Feta and one of her new babies!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Hi all! I have a broody hen that hatched one chick for me on Thursday. Then Saturday night, we grafted 9 chicks I had ordered - they were 6 days old at the time. It worked beautifully, and my hen is a great mama! Anyway, the hatchery birds spent their first 4 days in the brooder. And as is often the case with hatchery birds, some of them had pasty butt. I cleaned them up before I gave them to her, but now I'm wondering what happens if it returns? Will she take care of it somehow? It will be near impossible for me to get any chicks away from her - and I might not even notice since they hang out under her so much. So now I'm worried about it. Thoughts?

Generally chicks with momma don't get pasty butt, and she should take care of it.

But it is best to keep watch. Also put some ACV in the water, that can help by keeping their gut acidity where it should be. Some probiotics can also help.

Lady of McCamley

 

[Morrigan]

Thanks everyone for all the help as I've gone through my first broody experience. Here are some pictures of the 1 week chicks out in the yard, plus one of the proud papa rooster.

 

[Dianne88]

Hi, I need some advise! I have a 1yr old Ameraucana that is wanting to go broody. She takes every egg and insist on sitting on them. I don't have a Roo so I just take all the eggs away from her and she usually gives up. Well, this time she isn't giving up!! I took the unfertilized eggs away and replaced them with 2 (so far) eggs out of my bator that are on day 12. I gave her my iffy(I can't see movement) eggs just to see how she would do with them. I figure if she looses interest I'm prob not loosing any chicks???? My question is, if she seem to stick with it should I put more eggs under her?? I've always used an incubator so this is a first for me so I would love to hear what you think!!