Broody Hen Thread!

[fisherlady]

What would you folks who have Barred Rock chickens say the chances of one becoming broody are? I just have all Barred Rock chicks right now but if I wanted to raise more chicks without an incubator would there be a decent chance I could use one of them eventually or would it be better to have another breed for that purpose?

Many birds broody tendencies depend on the source. Many hatcheries concentrate on egg production and since broodiness is counter productive to this they have bred broodiness out of much of their stock... though a few still get the urge they aren't nearly as prone as a bird from a strain kept by a breeder or farmer who kept the birds truer to their original functions...
This doesn't mean hatchery birds will never get broody and breeder birds always will, it is more of a guideline to the probabilities..
So my best answer is... check the source and what they have to say about the broody tendencies within their flock if you can. If you like the BR in particular (A very nice choice! I like them also) then check for sources for 'heritage' birds, those will be more prone to still have the broodiness... and if you find 2 or 3 sources for heritage birds then check with each breeder to see how often their stock shows broodiness.

Large fowl- Many of the Rocks can be broody types, heritage Australorp, buckeyes, Jersey Giants, cochins and dorkings also are, orpington and brahmas are also frequent broody mamas on the threads.
Banty fowl- many banties are known for persistent broodiness... tops are Silkies (or silkie mixes) cochins, Old English Game hens...

Edit to add... oops, I see Bogtown already answered... sorry for the repeat

 

[abserbean]

So I went out to close little momma and her chicks in for the night, and met a new chick! This one was all silver/grey with no other markings, all of our chicks have looked so different! I know with EE's and OE's you can get a mix, but I wasn't expecting this much difference. So far I have two confirmed BLRW's out of three eggs, two black chicks, maybe my OE's b/c they were covered by a Marans roo, a yellow chick with light brown markings on the back, and the silver one. I'll move her and the chicks to the broody pen in the morning, and then I will get to see what all we have. Hopefully there are a couple more under her!

 

[n3kms]

Many hatchery stock birds are selected to remove broodiness. This thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ody-hen-hatch-a-long-and-informational-thread Post #2 has a listing of broody breeds. Partridge Rocks, Buff Orpingtons, Australorps, Silkies, etc are notoriously broody.

Thanks a bunch for the info and the link.

 

[Hannahs Hollow]

5 baby chicks! 1 more coming shortly and 2 taking their time. Go Bo! What a nice thing to come home from work for!

Lady, I am going to try and stuff Pippi Longstocking under Bo later tonight! Wish me luck with that!

 

[n3kms]

Many birds broody tendencies depend on the source. Many hatcheries concentrate on egg production and since broodiness is counter productive to this they have bred broodiness out of much of their stock... though a few still get the urge they aren't nearly as prone as a bird from a strain kept by a breeder or farmer who kept the birds truer to their original functions... 
This doesn't mean hatchery birds will never get broody and breeder birds always will, it is more of a guideline to the probabilities..
So my best answer is... check the source and what they have to say about the broody tendencies within their flock if you can.  If you like the BR in particular (A very nice choice! I like them also) then check for sources for 'heritage' birds, those will be more prone to still have the broodiness... and if you find 2 or 3 sources for heritage birds then check with each breeder to see how often their stock shows broodiness.

Large fowl- Many of the Rocks can be broody types, heritage Australorp, buckeyes, Jersey Giants, cochins and dorkings also are, orpington and brahmas are also frequent broody mamas on the threads.
Banty fowl- many banties are known for persistent broodiness... tops are Silkies (or silkie mixes) cochins, Old English Game hens...

Edit to add... oops, I see Bogtown already answered... sorry for the repeat

I appreciate the added explanation. I have hatchery chicks. Maybe I can find some local chicks to raise for brooding purposes.

 

[Hannahs Hollow]

I just picked up bo and put down pippi and pippi ran right to the babies and I plunked Bo right on toP! took 3 tries but they've settled in. Hopefully pippi will still be alive in the morning or tomorrow evening.....

 

[DarynA146]

has your hen hatched 2 eggs only...same with me so far

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Advice: So, I'm planning on keeping the babies/mama separate from the other 2 girls (our Plymouth Rock is friendly to us, but ALWAYS picks at things and I really have a feeling she'd nip at the babies nonstop). I think we'll section off a space in the run (so they can be outside) with food/water. My plan was to place her there during the day, whenever she wants to come out (she still hasn't tried to get up, but the chicks are just 24 hours old). We have hit the warmer part of Spring here in Portland, but there's always cold and rainy days thrown in there. Should I keep them indoors if it's super rainy and cold? We are forecast for rain soon, and I don't really know how it works with a hen raising chicks. I assume she'll keep them warm if it get's too cold? One more: she hasn't pooped since Saturday. Should I encourage her to get up and put her outside with the chicks? Is it too soon? Ha!

This is all so crazy and weird and I have so many questions that pop up in my head. So, thanks in advance to all you question answering pros!

Hi Portland Hen...I live in the same area and am experiencing the same weather. I totally agree with Fisherlady as she gave you solid advice, I thought I'd just pipe in to encourage you how WELL the babies will do in the weather, even our Oregon constant drizzle.

Remember this last January? It was COOOOOOLLLLLDDDDDD! And we had what, 6 inches of snow on the ground with that frigid wind and subzero wind chill? Well my banty decided to brood that month and STILL hatched out 3 healthy large fowl chicks (BCM) during the worse week...I did keep them in the closed coop until the snow melted and the wind died down, but they had no heat other than what mom supplied...I had to haul water and refill their chick waterers twice daily and placed a tarp over the front wire door as that wind was hard and cold, but they ran around in my hutch as if nothing were wrong. As soon as the snow melted, Mom had them out and scratching in the run AND the drizzle...at by then 2 1/2 to 3 weeks of age...it is bizarre at how weather tolerant they are until you remember they have nice little down jackets zipped up and a hen with warm down underneath her oiled feathers to snuggle into...a chicken's body temp is normally around 102 to 103 degrees, so mom is a nice little heat stove.

I just make sure they have a dry place to hang out if the rain picks up into heavier down pours (they can go underneath the hutch which is raised about 4 feet off the ground) or into the hutch itself. I too put food and water upstairs and downstairs so they don't forget to eat and drink being the busy kids they are, sometimes they forget...mom usually is good about taking them to water periodically (which is fun to watch). And I make sure there is nice deep, clean pine shavings in their coop to snuggle into, which also helps absorb some of the water off their feathers....but if you check a chicken after it's been standing out in the drizzle, you will see the outside feathers are damp but the skin is dry...their naturally oiled feathers act like those old fashioned oil slickers the fishermen used to wear.

I do prefer to let the chicks and mom out after the chicks are 1 week old simply because it takes them a bit to figure out how to go up my 4 foot ramp, and I don't feel the run is secure enough against something like a raccoon....but if they do get caught downstairs, mom will set up camp with them there...just check at night to make sure no one is stranded away from mom...check your fencing too as the little dears are great at finding the tiny hole to squeeze through but can never figure out how to get themselves back in...mom will cluck and pace loudly, and they will peep madly...so it is easier for me to leave them up in the safe hutch until they are a little big bigger (and smarter).

Congratulations on your hatch, and enjoy your little brood.
Lady of McCamley

 

[Dianne88]

Ok so I'm on day 20 and I have 13 egg in the bator and 3 under my hen. We are in the middle of a big storm and lost power around 8:15 tonight and after I contacted the power company the said it won't be back on until noon tomorrow!! Yikes! My bator was down to 85*, I needed to do something fast! So gathered up my 13 eggs and headed out in the thunder lightning and rain to stuff all the eggs under my smallish size Amerucana along with the 3 she already had. She only nipped at me once but did her best to fluff out as big as she could. They have a better chance with her than they do in a cold bator! Wish me luck!! I will take a look at them when my power comes back on to see if I need to warm the bator back up!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Ok so I'm on day 20 and I have 13 egg in the bator and 3 under my hen. We are in the middle of a big storm and lost power around 8:15 tonight and after I contacted the power company the said it won't be back on until noon tomorrow!! Yikes! My bator was down to 85*, I needed to do something fast! So gathered up my 13 eggs and headed out in the thunder lightning and rain to stuff all the eggs under my smallish size Amerucana along with the 3 she already had. She only nipped at me once but did her best to fluff out as big as she could. They have a better chance with her than into cold bator! Wish me luck!! I will take a look at them when my power comes back on to see if I need to warm the bator back up!

Wow...good luck...you may be surprised, mom may have a big brood tomorrow...bet she's surprised.
Lady of McCamley