Broody Hen Thread!

[fisherlady]

I agree...very nice set up.
Good luck on your brooding....4 of my 6 Rhodebar eggs hatched today under a first time broody...and 6 of the Buckeyes (from Kentucky as well) are looking to be developing and are sitting under my Silkie to hatch in 2 weeks.

3 of my shipped eggs also had badly detached air cells and never reattached after several days of sitting, so I never set them...but hey I figure I got 10 eggs in tact to set, and of those 6 are clearly developing....not to bad after being shook across the country.

Lady of McCamley

Congrats on the Rhodebar hatch!! That is awesome! Will look forward to pics soon..

Shipped eggs are really a toss up.. I know they are the best way to get hard to find local breeds, but so frustrating to have such a risky hatch rate after all of the preparations and expectations...
I'm glad you are getting some good results on cross country eggs!

 

[brummy]

Hi I'm new to keeping chickens. 1 of my black rocks is sitting on her nest. She is all fluffed up and makes strange noises when I go near. She is still laying. I was toying with the idea of putting some fertilised eggs under her. I will keep an eye on her and make sure she is getting out to eat and drink.

 

[DarynA146]

Hi I'm new to keeping chickens. 1 of my black rocks is sitting on her nest. She is all fluffed up and makes strange noises when I go near. She is still laying. I was toying with the idea of putting some fertilised eggs under her. I will keep an eye on her and make sure she is getting out to eat and drink.

do you have a rooster that could have fertillized the eggs she is laying now?

 

[fisherlady]

Hi I'm new to keeping chickens. 1 of my black rocks is sitting on her nest. She is all fluffed up and makes strange noises when I go near. She is still laying. I was toying with the idea of putting some fertilised eggs under her. I will keep an eye on her and make sure she is getting out to eat and drink.

Usually when mine start to do that I mark any eggs which are under her and rotate them out each day for about a week, during this time you can decide if her nesting area is somewhere you are OK with her staying, and it will also give you time to determine if she is going to stay the course and you can collect the eggs you prefer she hatch.
When you are sure, and she is where you want her, and you have the eggs gathered... then give her all of the preferred eggs at one time. This will help avoid staggered hatches and you will be able to have all of the eggs marked as you want them.

You can have the hen sit on either fake eggs or real eggs during the trial time, she only needs 3 or 4... if real eggs I swap them out every day or two (I then cook them as scrambled eggs and feed them back to the chickens)

 

[mrchicks]

I hadn't moved her yet as I wasn't sure she was going to stay on the eggs. But I will get her set up elsewhere now that it appears she's determined to stay on the nest. Thanks for all the tips.

 

[brummy]

Hi thanks for your comments. I don't have a rooster. I was thinking if she had gone broody I would bring in some fertilised eggs from a breeder near me as thanks to reading about all the breads on this site I would like to keep other breeds to.

 

[tatertot]

Sorry for your loss........

I woke up this morning to a dead Silkie in my bantam coop. Day b4 yesterday she was doing the standing around with her head tucked under her wing, but it was cool and rainy and she seemed fine yesterday, so I let it go. Well, apparently it was too late anyway. Now idk what to do.

Can I worm my bantam flock with Wazine when there is a mom with 1 week old chicks? And I found poultry lice, can I treat with DE and organic powder? I think she had vent gleet was the main problem, but none of the silkies I've had for 2 months have started laying is y I'm thinking of worming.

The chicks cannot reach to drink the water I will treat, but will it hurt them with the poo?

 

[Alaskan]

I don't think I've posted these yet to this thread--randerson and Molly have seen it on our Hatch-a-long Thread but thought it might be helpful for others coming to this thread. I'm so excited about this.... This is Dixie in the new Broody coop. Moistened feed and water near by. Cozy nest in the corner to brood her eggs/chicks. Memorial day! Memorial Day! Under Dixie is a Buckeye, Welsummer, 2 olive eggers set yesterday and all the way from Kentucky -- 2 BLRW eggs. The 3rd BLRW egg had a detached air cell when candled. So that one is on my counter setting still for a day or two.

I REALLY like that setup! I just showed the kids, we need to build another small something for a broody or bantam breeding trio. That looks lovely.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Thank you! Alaskan! I think Dixie is liking her privacy too...she's less Growly.

I was lucky to snatch these large cabinet knotty pine doors last fall on a demo at my work place and we have a few bits laying around from basement finishing too...so it all came together. recycled stuff multiplied with not so skilled carpenter lady does not make for a square pretty coop...but I think it will help Dixie get the job done.

I hadn't seen her get up and move from the new nest since we moved her Sunday night...and I thought I better get her up today at noon and see if she'll do her Broody poo while the eggs are still early in their gestation. Well Lo and behold She's been taking care of business right in the back right hand corner. I don't think it's been there very long and the eggs were unaffected...but I helped her out with that and she looked a little relieved if I could sense that about her. She also started eating some of her food again...picked her some nummy little clover sprouts from the yard. I think it's sweet this time of year. She was picking those over some Red Snapper we had last night.

I just love taking care of her....

... for all that she is doing...

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Lady of McCamley those Rhodebars look amazing. Some of the Hens are stunning...and the Roosters...? There are no words. Lots of variation too on the barring...but to me that's part of the fun sometimes...wow.