Broody Hen Thread!

[DarynA146]

how cute is this. Two of our silkie hens have laid together in the same box, and take shifts with the eggs. When one of the hens get up off the eggs to eat and drink, the other hen would move the eggs to under herself and sit on them for her. When the hen comes back to sit on the eggs she would get them back from under the other hen. Today is day 18 and there are about 9 eggs under them all-together

 

[Bogtown Chick]

how cute is this. Two of our silkie hens have laid together in the same box, and take shifts with the eggs. When one of the hens get up off the eggs to eat and drink, the other hen would move the eggs to under herself and sit on them for her. When the hen comes back to sit on the eggs she would get them back from under the other hen. Today is day 18 and there are about 9 eggs under them all-together

DarynA: That IS cute! Everybody loves teamwork.

 

[DarynA146]

DarynA: That IS cute! Everybody loves teamwork.

very

 

[randerson846]

turns out, the isa brown was broody, I went out to her this morning and she was sitting on them all but one which she must of chucked out I wasn't sure if she's be able to brood that many anyway, I just have then to her so when I went to get it, she gave me one of those broody growls ahah so I just grabbed it, and felt one of the eggs it was warm, so hopefully she'll stay excited

 

[emmimini1212]

Hey there! I'm new to this website but it's been helping me out with my ducks and chickens even before I made an account! So anyway, right now I have a broody Americana laying on 12 or 13 eggs... This is my first time
with a broody of my own so any suggestions tips or really anything would help! Btw we have not separated her from the other 5 hens and our rooster so they all kind of sleep up there with her and lay their eggs around her so she takes them in.
Thanks!

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Hey there! I'm new to this website but it's been helping me out with my ducks and chickens even before I made an account! So anyway, right now I have a broody Americana laying on 12 or 13 eggs... This is my first time
with a broody of my own so any suggestions tips or really anything would help! Btw we have not separated her from the other 5 hens and our rooster so they all kind of sleep up there with her and lay their eggs around her so she takes them in.
Thanks!

Jumping in with Both Feet Too, Already, with Broodies and such! LOL. This is the start of my 3rd spring with chickens and we are letting a broody set for the first time.

You may want to separate your Broody. Especially if you want eggs hatching about the same time. Also there is the risk that others coming into the nest will cause half incubated eggs to crack and be damaged. If you read through this great broody thread from the beginning or at least 2 months back or so, you'll find lots of tips and tricks to gleen. Fisherlady and Lady of McCalmly are FABULOUS references. The knowledge and experience are wonderful.

Edited for grammaticals.

 

[emmimini1212]

...

Thanks! I'm thinking that I'm going to move them to a section of my coop where I kept my ducklings, who are now big and healthy. This is her second week of sitting on the eggs so how should I move them? I wouldn't want to damage them or make it that she rejects them at all. How do you do it?

 

[jammyjammy2112]

I have a terrible broody hen
She dosnt make a sohnd she dosnt hiss or puff up when I or another hen goes near her this is what happins she goes onto the nest half an hour later she gets off for an hour goes bak on for a half an hour then leaves the nest for maybe another half an hour she dosnt **** on the nest for long she sleeps on the nest at night and she is about 2 years okd she is a dorking and she dosnt act like a broody atall except the bare breast and sitting in the nest and she does have broody poo
I allways leave my hens hatch there own chicks but this hen is just a very bad broody any advice anynody what should I do I want to allow her have chicks

 

[Bogtown Chick]

This is what I did: I made Dixie's Nest Transportable . I put a Wicker basket inside the nest box she was staying broody in. I put her golf balls (eggs at the time) and straw and fluff all in that nest...so she had a similar feel for her old nest. Once I had her broody coop all built... I waited until 10:00 at night (dark out) and we pulled the removable wicker basket out and took it to the new broody coop with her and it's contents. The new Broody coop was also darker and I think kept her from freaking out too much about going back to her preferred starter nest box. This was all Sunday night, BTW! Once I knew she was set I put the eggs I bought underneath her. She hasn't moved much since. I think the ease of transition also is individual for each bird so expect possible protest and her wanting to go to her old spot and hope for her to not mind at all like mine.

It's all such a fun learning experience so far. I'm no expert, but gosh I love sharing my experience so far.

 

[fisherlady]

This is what I did: I made Dixie's Nest Transportable . I put a Wicker basket inside the nest box she was staying broody in. I put her golf balls (eggs at the time) and straw and fluff all in that nest...so she had a similar feel for her old nest. Once I had her broody coop all built... I waited until 10:00 at night (dark out) and we pulled the removable wicker basket out and took it to the new broody coop with her and it's contents. The new Broody coop was also darker and I think kept her from freaking out too much about going back to her preferred starter nest box. This was all Sunday night, BTW! Once I knew she was set I put the eggs I bought underneath her. She hasn't moved much since. I think the ease of transition also is individual for each bird so expect possible protest and her wanting to go to her old spot and hope for her to not mind at all like mine.

It's all such a fun learning experience so far. I'm no expert, but gosh I love sharing my experience so far.

x2... keep it low key and quiet. The less fuss the better...

All broodies react differently to interactions, and the same hen can act different even from one brood to another! Always have a plan B in place...