Broody Hen Thread!

[Mon27]

I have a bs turkey with babies about 6-7 weeks old, and an RP turkey who just hatches babies Monday. They have 2 separate nests that they r using, but yesterday I found one of the 6 week old babies dead in the RP hens nest!!! Idk if it just died, or if she killed it! So I locked her and her babies in for the rest of yesterday & last night to keep the others from going to visit! But I can't keep them locked up forever. The older babies had all been in and out of her nest visiting and she seemed fine with it, so idk what to think!!!!

Did the little thing have injuries consistant with that kind of death? May have just died if it didnt look all beat up. They can take a lot so I would think it would be very apparent if attacked.

 

[sonderah]

Did the little thing have injuries consistant with that kind of death?  May have just died if it didnt look all beat up.  They can take a lot so I would think it would be very apparent if attacked.

Its head was odd looking, but it wasn't bloodied or anything. And there was a bald section on its wing. But that's all that looked odd. I've taken her babies away now because she was not keeping them warm, so hopefully if she did attack the other hens poult, she won't bother the others now since she has no babies to protect. She is not a good mother, so I will probably be replacing her soon and selling her as a pet or making turkey salad.

 

[Chickens R Us]

Congrats! What's the plan for eggs? Do you have your own hatching eggs or are you getting some for her to hatch? What breed is she? Inquiring minds want to know

I have some my own eggs under her.I did a hatch in the incubator, they hatched Memorial weekend and none of the Leghorn hatched so I put 3 of these under her plus there are 2 or 3 other unknown under her. She is a Cuckoo Maran X with an unknown laced breed, possibly a Wyandotte.

 

[Junibutt]

I have some my own eggs under her.I did a hatch in the incubator, they hatched Memorial weekend and none of the Leghorn hatched so I put 3 of these under her plus there are 2 or 3 other unknown under her. She is a Cuckoo Maran X with an unknown laced breed, possibly a Wyandotte.

Will "your" eggs hatch chicken or ....... Just kidding.

 

[graybeard]

I have 2 broody girls right now. I just moved them out of the hen house to a brooding box where I built a box with 2 nests. Now instead of each sitting on a clutch, they 00 ever to sit together and take shifts on each set of eggs. 2 hens on one set, 1 hen roosts while the other sets, and various other combinations. She I be too worried or just let nature run its course ?

 

[SD Bird Lady]

My eggs are due tomorrow but i think at least a couple are early I heard a cheep and momma is sitting different. I can't reach her to peek in so i am impatiently waiting .....so exciting!!

 

[sab]

OK --- If you go to my site --- www.clucksnducks.com --- click on CAMS and you will see the 1st CAM shows the brooding area I set up today. The bottom CAM shows it from across the coop. I plan to move her tonight. In the 3rd CAM down from the top, you can see her and how high she is. Chicks are due to hatch on Saturday.

Everyone think this arrangement is good? The coop has sand in it and I put clean fresh sand in the newly partitioned brooding area.

Going out shortly before dark to add a camera closer to the nest and back out after dark to move her. Moving her nest box and all. The nest box you see there is just a place holder so I could get my cameras right.

Watchya think??

 

[joannefiddler]

Thanks folks for the ideas. The complication comes in that I won't be home during the hatch. I have to be out of town Fri & Sat and Sat is 21 days. Also there really is NO room inside that nest for food & water. I've tried that already and she fills the whole thing. So... I'm thinking I will unscrew that nest box (at night) and move her completely out of the coop area into the utility area of the coop which is a separate area of the coop building.

Ok - if I move her, whole nest box, INSIDE the coop area but at floor level, do I need to partition her off completely with say chicken wire? If you look at my CAMS, I JUST now added another camera. Well, the camera was already there, just not online. It is DIRECTLY under the nest the hen is sitting in. It is pointed at the top of waterer. If you look beyond that water, you will see the poop boards under the roosting boards. An old hen is laying there. She's too lazy to go up with the other girls. I think her days are numbered. But... to the right of that you will see a recessed area where the dog crate is sitting. Inside that is a crate turned on it's side. If I take all that out, and move the entire nest box into that area... how much separating off do I need to do from there? All the way over to this wall the camera is on? I can pan the camera if someone needs to see the entire area.

THANK YOU ALL, REALLY THANK YOU.... I'm a little concerned about this with her being so high.

Hi again ClucksnDucks! I was able to see your cams again...it looks like you moved the nest to the floor...if that's what I'm seeing in the bottom cam...looks like a nest in the corner on the far right. How is Mama doing? Now I just looked back at your cams and I think you've got one focused on the broody area you've created. Looks like a great setup to me! It's tough to see if the hen is in the box. Hope all is well!

 

[sab]

What a hoot! You must have posted just as I was. Read my post just before yours. Yes, she is NOT in the bottom nest box. Moving her tonight. After dark, so she wakes up in this area and hopefully she won't throw a fit. But her eggs will be with her. Count down to Saturday. Trying to get my cameras lined up for the event!

 

[joannefiddler]

You've got a good plan! I know it'll drive you nuts to be away when the hatch is scheduled. I'm currently away from home too...got to see 3 of 5 hatch before we went away for a previously scheduled anniversary week away. I'm forced to rely on my house-sitters for updates and pics...I'm jealous of your cams