Broody Hen Thread!

[jajeanpierre]

That's a good point. We're easily running 100 degrees plus here every day. But she's sitting on them all day anyway. Lol!

I see you are in Arizona--I'm in south central Texas. At first, I freaked when I saw her off the nest for what seemed to me to be forever. I was sure they would die. The eggs even felt cool. I was wrong--they hatched a day early and all seven hatched.

 

[chicksurreal]

I see you are in Arizona--I'm in south central Texas. At first, I freaked when I saw her off the nest for what seemed to me to be forever. I was sure they would die. The eggs even felt cool. I was wrong--they hatched a day early and all seven hatched.

That's amazing. I guess they know what they're doing!

 

[Chickens R Us]

How would I go about reintroducing a broody hen and chicks to the flock? I separated her a few days after she went broody so the other chickens wouldn't bother her or lay more eggs in her nest.

 

[ChickyChickens]

Thank you ChickyChickens for pointing this out to me..... silly me.... my friends across the country who watch the cams have been enjoying the chickens so much.... I'll be sure and tell them how stupid it is. And with so many explanation marks too!!!!!!!! Silly me... and I've been using the live video feeds when I give talks about backyard chicken keeping. To such a degree of success that you are the very first in the 4 yrs that I have had cameras online to make such a negative remark - in fact, any negative remark. But now that I know it's stupid, I'll stop using those cameras that way. And the children, who's faces smile so big when I show them the cams... I'll be sure and tell them how stupid it is before I show them.

Could it possibly be that you are using Internet Explorer? Because it clearly states on the site, that the cams only work with Safari, Firefox or Chrome. I could pay a video streaming service a monthly fee to host my cams just so the people who are Internet handicapped could watch on their Internet Explorer. But stupid me, I choose to save the money and buy more cameras!

Sorry for the sarcasim.... no... wait.... I'm not. You really should look before you leap in such a public venue...... or you might appear to be 'stupid' --- which I would not call a person I did not know. I would simply say "Are you using Internet Explorer? Cause the cams don't work with Internet Explorer" and be done with it.

I'm sooo sorry! I never meant it to be like that! I meant to say that it was soo stupid that it didn't work on my screen!!!! Stupid me- language mistake!
I was using chrome but then I noticed that my screen doesn't play any videos, even on youtube! So I bought another screen yesterday and it works! Your cams are amazing!!!!!!!!!!! I love your idea and congrats on the hen that's broody/hatching!
Will you please forgive me????????
I am very sorry!

 

[jajeanpierre]

I'm sooo sorry! I never meant it to be like that! I meant to say that it was soo stupid that it didn't work on my screen!!!! Stupid me- language mistake!
I was using chrome but then I noticed that my screen doesn't play any videos, even on youtube! So I bought another screen yesterday and it works! Your cams are amazing!!!!!!!!!!! I love your idea and congrats on the hen that's broody/hatching!
Will you please forgive me????????
I am very sorry!

ChickyChickens, If it makes you feel any better, that's how I read your post, that you were griping because you couldn't get it working on your computer.

 

[ChickyChickens]

ChickyChickens, If it makes you feel any better, that's how I read your post, that you were griping because you couldn't get it working on your computer.

Thanx soo much!

I hope sab isn't angry with me!
I really didn't mean it like that!

 

[darkbrahmamama]

Broody hen question. I had one go broody about a week & a half ago, Thelma. She's a dark brahma. All she wanted to do was lay. Since I free range, when it was time for them to come in at night, we'd have to pick her up to get her in. She'd growl, put her butt up in the air, & ruffle up her feathers. When you'd set her down she'd just plop. A few days went by, & I contacted someone asking them if I let her stay broody if they'd want the chicks (there's already 23 hens & 3 roosters, so we didn't need any more!). She said she'd take them, so we put 3 eggs under her. She stayed on them for 2 days, then I got a text that she was off them. I figured she knew what she was doing, & said not to worry, that I'd check on her in the morning. Well, morning came & she was still off of them, laying not to far away, but not touching them. I thought for sure the eggs were lost ..... & being a rookie I tossed 2 of the ends - both had started

- but I left the third one, just in case there was hope. Saturday evening I put 4 new eggs under her. She contently adjusted herself on them. Then, Sunday night I got another text that she wasn't on them. I put her back on them yesterday morning, bought an incubator & egg turner, she was laying next to them last night, I put her back on, got the incubator all set up & let it run during the night, & she was off of them again this morning. So, I'm not trying to break her from being broody & I put the eggs in the incubator just in case there's still hope for them

My question .... why would she be broody & want to lay, but not go back to the eggs to lay, instead choosing to lay near them? Is she just not a reliable brooder? Also .... any hope that the eggs will make it?

 

[sab]

Quote: FORGIVEN!! I am not a computer geek, just an ordinary person who spent a lot of time learning what I needed to know to make the cameras work and a lot of money buying the cameras and a lot of sweat installing them ..... and for what? Just to share my chicken's world with others. So I took offense at your comment. For what it's worth, I have never done a smack down and certainly I smacked hard so I apologize for smacking at you. This little episode is over. I have edited my sarcastic comments. I wouldn't want ppl to think of me in that way. So enough feeling bad on both our parts. Let's just get on with enjoying the chicklets.... which are running in and out of the nest box and driving Ellie Mae crazy already. Can't imagine keeping up with 6 chicklets in a chicken run with other hens. This is a learning process for me too....

Enjoy the cameras!!

 

[jajeanpierre]

Thanx soo much!

I hope sab isn't angry with me!
I really didn't mean it like that!

It is soooooo easy to get into trouble quite by accident on internet forums--no facial expressions, body language or tone of voice to make the meaning and intent clear. Plus, there is no taking it back once you hit the send button and no immediate response that you would get in a face-to-face conversation.

 

[jajeanpierre]

I have an order of something like 23 chicks coming in the mail in a couple of weeks I think. Three of my Silkies and a Polish of all breeds are pretty broody. I had given one Silkie two of the Ameraucanas eggs that will hatch this week if they were viable. I didn't candle them until a couple of few days ago and really don't know if they are any good. One I'm pretty sure isn't, but I just left it anyway. Ya, I know. I 'll clean the nest box if there is a disaster. I figure if an egg can sit on my counter, it can sit under a hen.

The Silkies have all had their turn at sitting on those eggs. If the hen I gave them to hops off, someone takes her place. I've had three hens crammed into one little nest box on occasion.

If those chicks hatch (unlikely) do I just pick whomever is on them at the time to raise them? One hen has done most of the work, so I feel really, she should be the one to raise them.

Can I integrate them with the Ameraucana hen who is raising the chicks I've sent pictures of. They would be about five or six days younger. How would I do that if it is possible.

I was hoping to put the new chicks under one or two of the Silkie hens. I only have one other little dog-house coop so if I used two hens, they would have to be in the same pen. Or free ranging in my back yard with the flock of mostly Silkies.

I only have one 20-chick Brinsea brooding plate. I'm in South Central Texas--days are high 80s or in the 90s. Nights are pretty warm.

Of course, once I gave the okay to send the chicks that I have been putting off getting for over a year, I found out I will have to be out of town for about a week as will my husband. The amimal care will be left in the hands of my adult son, who is not quite as fussy as I am. The new chicks might be two weeks old when I leave.

Thoughts? Suggestions?