Broody Hen Thread!

[jammyjammy2112]

I have my first broody!!!
I do have a few questions to those who have had the experience;

- how many eggs could reasonably fit under a broody ( realize the size of the breed is a factor), She is a Salmon Faverolle.

- How long after the first eggs hatch might she sit for? I just got some shipped eggs that would only be behind the originals by 5 days. It that too far apart?
(if it is it's ok, I have a friend who is willing to incubate them for me)

Thanks in advance!

hello you could proble fit 10 eggs under a salmon faverolle and the hen will probly sit on the nest for 1-2 days after the chicks hatch to find them food and water 5 days apart is 2 far away for her to hatch but if your friend could incubate them for you when they hatch you could probly slip them under her at night with the other chicks she will probly accept them

 

[Dianne88]

I had to separate my broody hen away from my other hens. On her one trip off the nest the other girls were bullying her around. They would jump on her back and chase her away from the food, poor girl! Weird they wouldn't bother her in the nest box?? We built her a broody pin inside the coop and i put pine shavings from the old nest box into her new nest box so it would be familiar to her. I waited until dark and first moved her eggs and then her, she barely made a peep. I stuck her in the nest head first and she just froze there with her tail feathers sticking out of the box. I gave her a few min and she didn't move so I nudged her a little till she turned and sat on her eggs. I'll have to check her in a hour or so to make sure she's keeping them warm or I'll have to put them into the incubator. Wish me luck that I didn't break her broody spell!!

 

[goosegirl6]

Hi everyone! My first chicks finally hatched! There is at least 2 chicks that hatched this morning-2 days later than expected. The hen is sitting on 4 more eggs, hopefully they will hatch.

Soooo eggcited!

 

[cheepcheep riri]

@SunnysideupstateNY

I don't think that putting the eggs like that its a problem.
Last year my broody hatched 11 egg a in a time period of 1 1/2 week. My hen was fine with it.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I have my first broody!!!
I do have a few questions to those who have had the experience;

- how many eggs could reasonably fit under a broody ( realize the size of the breed is a factor), She is a Salmon Faverolle.

- How long after the first eggs hatch might she sit for? I just got some shipped eggs that would only be behind the originals by 5 days. It that too far apart?
(if it is it's ok, I have a friend who is willing to incubate them for me)

Thanks in advance!

I agree she can handle 10 to 12 eggs. A good number is 8 on a first time hen to make it a little easier on her.

As to staggered hatching....it really depends on the hen, and it is a risk. A 2 day delay is not such a big deal, that is pretty normal, as the chicks really don't get out from under mom for the first 2 days. Nature has created food/energy stores enough in the chick from the absorbed yolk so that they don't need any food or water those first 2 days to allow for natural delays of the eggs hatching.

After that, the mom gets up and begins to teach the babies to scratch, takes them to food and water; therefore, there is a risk that the mom will either stay with the unhatched eggs and not take care of her hatched babies, or she will get up and take care of her babies and not sit on the eggs. Some hens handle more delayed staggers just fine; others don't.

You can help your hen by placing food and water close to the nest, but not so that it can tip into it. That way mom and babies can get food and water easily and it may help mom stay on the nest if she doesn't feel so pushed to take care of the hatched babies. I'd also make sure the babies can't wander far away from mom, another stressor that might cause mom to move.

Five days is the maximum delay I'd personally risk as I've witnessed more than that delay in age of chicks can cause problems as they are at such different stages...at a week old, those chicks are running around the playground while the little "infants" still need a lot of cuddling and naptime care with the hen sitting down which can make for contradictory needs and cause some losses.

Again, it depends on the hen. Some are more flexible than others just like some human moms handle a house full of all ages easier than others.

Good luck.
Lady of McCamley

 

[Tyaloria]

Hi everyone! My first chicks finally hatched! There is at least 2 chicks that hatched this morning-2 days later than expected. The hen is sitting on 4 more eggs, hopefully they will hatch.e Soooo eggcited!

Congrats!!!!

 

[DarynA146]

same here 1 hatched so far...sooooo excited

 

[DarynA146]

if i want to take a chick from the mother sitting on her which hatched today...when should i take it

 

[SunnysideupstateNY]

@SunnysideupstateNY

I don't think that putting the eggs like that its a problem.
Last year my broody hatched 11 egg a in a time period of 1 1/2 week. My hen was fine with it.

Good to hear, Thanks!

I agree she can handle 10 to 12 eggs. A good number is 8 on a first time hen to make it a little easier on her.

As to staggered hatching....it really depends on the hen, and it is a risk. A 2 day delay is not such a big deal, that is pretty normal, as the chicks really don't get out from under mom for the first 2 days. Nature has created food/energy stores enough in the chick from the absorbed yolk so that they don't need any food or water those first 2 days to allow for natural delays of the eggs hatching.

After that, the mom gets up and begins to teach the babies to scratch, takes them to food and water; therefore, there is a risk that the mom will either stay with the unhatched eggs and not take care of her hatched babies, or she will get up and take care of her babies and not sit on the eggs. Some hens handle more delayed staggers just fine; others don't.

You can help your hen by placing food and water close to the nest, but not so that it can tip into it. That way mom and babies can get food and water easily and it may help mom stay on the nest if she doesn't feel so pushed to take care of the hatched babies. I'd also make sure the babies can't wander far away from mom, another stressor that might cause mom to move.

Five days is the maximum delay I'd personally risk as I've witnessed more than that delay in age of chicks can cause problems as they are at such different stages...at a week old, those chicks are running around the playground while the little "infants" still need a lot of cuddling and naptime care with the hen sitting down which can make for contradictory needs and cause some losses.

Again, it depends on the hen. Some are more flexible than others just like some human moms handle a house full of all ages easier than others.

Good luck.
Lady of McCamley

Thanks for the info, I think because this is her first hatch I'll try to make it easy on her. I have been giving her food and water when I check on her 2x a day,
I'll have my friend finish what she's sitting on now, I have some nice BBS Ameraucana eggs I want the hen to sit on. I'll try introducing the chicks to her After her hatch.

Thanks!

 

[sonderah]

Just checked on my broody turkey hen. She has officially hatched 3 Buff Orpington chicks, & 1 Frizzled EE. I took all of them and gave her the 2 turkey poults who I got to hatch inside. She still has 5 chicken eggs and 1 turkey egg, but its day 22, & there were some issues, so idk if anymore will hatch. Will take them tonight, candle and put anything that's a maybe into the hatcher.