Broody Hen Thread!

[ChickyChickens]

LIVE CAMS - Hatching now.... You can watch the last egg of the clutching hatching and see the darling chicklets by going to www.clucksnducks.com and clicking on CAMS. She has hatched 4 dark chicks and 1 light chick since yesterday AM. There are 6 all together. You can see the egg in front of her every time she lifts up a bit, which is often. We have enjoyed hatching them under a broody and likely will never buy another chick! Plan is to let her care for them in the general population. Have to see how that goes of course. I'll mother her, but she gets to mother the chicks -- the work is off me and on to her! ENJOY!

Every time I want to watch your cams but it never works! It is soooo stupid that it doesn't work! I really wish it would!

 

[ChickyChickens]

Every time I want to watch your cams but it never works! It is soooo stupid!!!!!!!!!!!

Hahahahahahahah! Found the problem! I love your idea of the cams !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[stephienoodle]

I have a Narragansett turkey hen who has been on a nest of fake eggs for 3 days now... overnight and everything. The thing is, she's still laying. She has laid for the last two days. Any clue what is going on? I'd love it if she went broody, because we're having horrible hatch rates in a friend's incubator. I hesitate to set any eggs under her if she's still laying. Does anybody have a suggestion? I threw extra fakes under her yesterday...

 

[jajeanpierre]

I have a Narragansett turkey hen who has been on a nest of fake eggs for 3 days now... overnight and everything. The thing is, she's still laying. She has laid for the last two days. Any clue what is going on? I'd love it if she went broody, because we're having horrible hatch rates in a friend's incubator. I hesitate to set any eggs under her if she's still laying. Does anybody have a suggestion? I threw extra fakes under her yesterday...

Are you sure she is the one laying? When my hen brooded a clutch of eggs, some of the other hens lay the occasional egg in her nest box while she was in it. I have no idea how they could fit--the broody is a good sized hen. Once in awhile, I would find another hen on top of her.

 

[sonderah]

I have a Narragansett turkey hen who has been on a nest of fake eggs for 3 days now... overnight and everything. The thing is, she's still laying. She has laid for the last two days. Any clue what is going on? I'd love it if she went broody, because we're having horrible hatch rates in a friend's incubator. I hesitate to set any eggs under her if she's still laying. Does anybody have a suggestion? I threw extra fakes under her yesterday...

When my girls go broody, they will lay sporadically for almost a week sometimes. Like maybe 3-4 eggs that week then stop completely. Its frustrating cause I don't want to allow the eggs to begin developing until I'm ready to set, but I can't watch 24/7 to grab it quick. I never know how long it may have been there. Lol

 

[TiaRC]

I love my cams too, TiaRC! I know what those girls are up to.... ALL the time.

How did you do your set up? I would like to do the same but for security reasons/ maybe a little bit of spying on my girls

 

[stephienoodle]

Are you sure she is the one laying?  When my hen brooded a clutch of eggs, some of the other hens lay the occasional egg in her nest box while she was in it.  I have no idea how they could fit--the broody is a good sized hen.  Once in awhile, I would find another hen on top of her.

I am absolutely sure that she is still laying. I only have 2 female turkeys and I have been getting 2 turkey eggs per day. Also, the one that is kind of broody has always laid eggs with a slight shell defect, so I can easily tell the difference in their eggs.

Maybe she'll stop here soon. If I have 2 days without an egg from her, I'll go ahead and set a clutch. I also have the problem of hens laying in her box, so I'll have to be nosy and check under her daily. My nest boxes are set up so if a hen goes broody, I can shut a door and jeep the others out... but they aren't big enough for the turkeys and she's gother tail hanging out the door. Can you move turkeys at night and have them stay broody, like you would with a chicken? She'd have more space in a big dog crate...

 

[abserbean]

Thanks. It is just a cheap dog house from Tractor Supply that my husband put a door on and of course made predator proof so nothing could push up the bottom or open the roof. It's easy to move around.

How long do you keep the marbles in the waterer?

I'm not actually sure how long I left them in, one day I looked at the chicks and thought "they're big enough". Maybe a couple weeks?

 

[Chickencame1st]

I am having 2 broody hens sit successfully on Buckeye eggs I purchased. One broody is white Plymouth rock and the other is an australorp. I have had to clean the australorp nest a lot. She unloads her bombs in the corner and it's horrible. I hope the bacteria level does not affect the hatch. BUT the main thing is that she started on 12. But now is only on 8. What could have happened? They are both in separated dog crate ages and never had snake problems. No sign what so ever of shells. They have been eating tho from food and water in the cage. What could have happened. I look very carefully in the bedding I throw out too. Puzzled. Hatch date is end of this week.

 

[Junibutt]

I am having 2 broody hens sit successfully on Buckeye eggs I purchased. One broody is white Plymouth rock and the other is an australorp. I have had to clean the australorp nest a lot. She unloads her bombs in the corner and it's horrible. I hope the bacteria level does not affect the hatch. BUT the main thing is that she started on 12. But now is only on 8. What could have happened? They are both in separated dog crate ages and never had snake problems. No sign what so ever of shells. They have been eating tho from food and water in the cage. What could have happened. I look very carefully in the bedding I throw out too. Puzzled. Hatch date is end of this week.

My Australorp ate 2 eggs in the last week of hatch as well (at least thats what I think). She also crush a chick while it was hatching so its possible either the egg was bad and she just ate it sensing it will not hatch or accidentally crushed it and then cleaned it up. They are very good nest cleaners (except for their poop)