Broody Hen Thread!

[Lady of McCamley]

Will a broody be "broken" if she hears a bunch of chicks?

So, if she is in a dog crate on a nest, and in the next room I have a bunch of new chicks.

I am thinking that the odds are good that something bad will happen (like she deserts the nest she is on and gets desperate trying to get to the new chicks that she can't see but can hear.)

Is my guess likely to be correct?

I wish I had an answer for you on this, but I have not personally done that one yet...I always use my broodies to hatch or foster chicks, and thus far have timed it so everyone was hatching pretty much at the same time.

I agree hens have been doing this since there have been chickens, so they SHOULD be okay with hatched chicks being on the premises..However, I think your concern has some merit in a backyard situation since life doesn't always work out so neatly. It will depend on the hen. As long as she is undisturbed on a nice warm, dark nest, chances are the peeping will encourage her to sit tighter thinking the eggs are about to hatch.

If she gets disturbed and pushed out of her place, she might get confused and go towards the peeping; but it sounds like you've got things pretty separated and she is snug and tight.

I'd just watch to see if there is any problems. If so, move the whole broody crate further away from the peeping, or move the peeping chicks further away.

You might contact @fisherlady to see if she has any suggestions. She has done a lot of communal brooding with all stages. She might have some tips.

I'm going to be entering a semi-communal staggered hatching for the first time...I've got 2 special projects from special eggs (Rhodebars and Buckeyes) in which the timing got delayed on one, so I am going to attempt to extend my faithful Silkie's brood to hatch the delayed shipped eggs (she is a rock and will wait for golf balls to hatch), while what she is sitting on now (and developing) is going to a first timer that is also sitting on part of that first batch of eggs (Rhodesbars) since she looks like she is going to be solid (but not so solid I trust extending her brood). If someone else goes broody soon, I'll stick the remaining eggs from the dozen that won't fit under the Silkie under them to give myself the best chances of success on these somewhat expensive eggs.

So I am likely to have 3 different hatch dates in one broody hutch...not sure how that is all going to work out. I'll be picking Fisherlady's brains too.

Lady of McCamley

 

[Alaskan]

@Lady of McCamley that makes sense......

I might try them within ear shot and just keep a close eye on them. It would just be so much easier!

 

[tatertot]

My Bo has 6 chicks under her but she still sits on her nest.

What behaviors can I expect from her

 

[randerson846]

Not to move ahahah

 

[Lady of McCamley]

My Bo has 6 chicks under her but she still sits on her nest.

What behaviors can I expect from her

Did she hatch those chicks? How old are they?

A broody will sit a lot the first week with the chicks...and if it is especially cold, she can sit even longer. I barely saw my Marans chicks that hatched in January until they were 2 weeks old.

In time she will be up and scratching with them. But they are little babies, so the first week they sleep a lot under mom.

Lady of McCamley

 

[jammyjammy2112]

my hen has no breast feathers its completly bald if i touch ther she dosnt have mites or lice and she dosnt seem differnt in any singel way she is only about 2 years old is she going broody

 

[randerson846]

Just thought if let u's all know that I am stating nut new chicken coop tomorrow for my (hopefully new) hatchlings

 

[Lady of McCamley]

my hen has no breast feathers its completly bald if i touch ther she dosnt have mites or lice and she dosnt seem differnt in any singel way she is only about 2 years old is she going broody

Plucking the feathers from the breast is a sign of going broody, but she should be showing other signs as well...sitting in the nest for hours glowering at any one who disturbs her...clucking and fluffing.

If she doesn't show any of those signs, ever, I'd see if maybe she is just molting or if there is some missed cause...like feather mites.

Chances are she has plucked her breast to brood and will be sitting in a nest for hours soon. If her hormones are fluctuating a lot, she might not go into a steady brood but linger and sulk (which can be annoying).

Lady of McCamley

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Hello Everybody! I'm joining in as I've had a Broody Buff Silkie x 2 days. I think her little hormones kicked in on Easter Day

-- so sweet, I love her timing-- She gave me her last egg Sunday and started growling at the kids as I had hid an Egg Hunt Plastic egg in her preferred nest box. My flock is 2 years old and we have a few openings on the roost after last winter. We look forward to seeing what she can do for us. We're making sure she sets well this week and then I have a breeder on-call with my egg order and will give her a shot. I'm going down to tuck them in for the night and will get a picture of her on her brooding nest. Considering building her her own little brooding coop...though. IDK... Will keep you all posted.

Our little Broody is Dixie.

 

[fisherlady]

Hello Everybody! I'm joining in as I've had a Broody Buff Silkie x 2 days. I think her little hormones kicked in on Easter Day

-- so sweet, I love her timing-- She gave me her last egg Sunday and started growling at the kids and I had hid an Egg Hunt Plastic egg in her preferred nest box. My flock is 2 years old and we have a few openings on the roost after last winter. We look forward to seeing what she can do for us. We're making sure she sets well this week and then I have a breeder on-call with my egg order and will give her a shot. I'm going down to tuck them in for the night and will get a picture of her on her brooding nest. Considering building her her own little brooding coop...though. IDK... Will keep you all posted.

Our little Broody is Dixie.

Congrats! Sounds like Dixie is getting ready to raise a brood for you!