Broody Hen Thread!

[jaymeellis06]

Just purchased my first bantam frizzles last week who just so happen to be broody too, so i gave them some olive egger eggs i was incubating and they should be hatching Thursday and Saturday!

 

[AliceGee]

I've got 6 silkie hens, 3 of which are broody, ones hatch is Friday, then another two days after that then the next one 2 weeks after that. 21 silkies eggs being sat on in total!! That's a lot of fuzz balls!

 

[ochochicas]

I've got a broody hen, so I bought a dozen fertile eggs and put them under her. Everything seems to be going well, but she never leaves the nest. I have not (in about 10 days) seen her leave the box on her own. When I feed the birds in the morning, I take her out to check the nest and make sure she is eating/drinking. She spends 10 - 20 minutes eating and running around the yard, and then goes back to the nest. I know I'm not supposed to mess with her, but she hasn't touched the food I left for her since she went broody. Should I be worried about her not eating? Should I keep taking her out to eat, or just leave her alone?

 

[TiaRC]

I've got a broody hen, so I bought a dozen fertile eggs and put them under her.  Everything seems to be going well, but she never leaves the nest.  I have not (in about 10 days) seen her leave the box on her own.  When I feed the birds in the morning, I take her out to check the nest and make sure she is eating/drinking.  She spends 10 - 20 minutes eating and running around the yard, and then goes back to the nest.  I know I'm not supposed to mess with her, but she hasn't touched the food I left for her since she went broody.  Should I be worried about her not eating?  Should I keep taking her out to eat, or just leave her alone?

Sounds like you are fine. I take my broody out every once in a while. But all in all as long as she has food and water avalible. She will eat if she wants. It won't be a lot. Just enough to sustain her. The reason she won't eat normally, is so she won't poo that often to mess up eggs. She when she does get up. Its a huge nasty broody poo! Lol

 

[ochochicas]

Sounds like you are fine. I take my broody out every once in a while. But all in all as long as she has food and water avalible. She will eat if she wants. It won't be a lot. Just enough to sustain her. The reason she won't eat normally, is so she won't poo that often to mess up eggs. She when she does get up. Its a huge nasty broody poo! Lol

LOL Yeah, I found that out the hard way. One day when I picked her up she pooed all over me - covered the front of my jacket and ran down one pant leg. At least I wasn't wearing shorts!

 

[TiaRC]

LOL  Yeah, I found that out the hard way.  One day when I picked her up she pooed all over me - covered the front of my jacket and ran down one pant leg.  At least I wasn't wearing shorts!

Oh my! That's aweful

 

[jotebo]

I have a Black Australorp. This is her 3rd time in 6 months that she has gone broody. I have only 2 hens (micro urban). All 3 times I have used the broody breaker with success. This time it is now 16 days since she quit laying. The other 2 times she started laying within 5 days of coming out of the broody breaker. She is squatting, but no eggs. My questions is…. will she continue to go broody so often and is this normal for such a delay in getting back to laying?

 

[TiaRC]

I have a Black Australorp. This is her 3rd time in 6 months that she has gone broody. I have only 2 hens (micro urban). All 3 times I have used the broody breaker with success. This time it is now 16 days since she quit laying. The other 2 times she started laying within 5 days of coming out of the broody breaker. She is squatting, but no eggs. My questions is…. will she continue to go broody so often and is this normal for such a delay in getting back to laying?

Yes its normal. She's becoming determined to brood lol. Which is why she won't lay.

 

[nessz79]

We put a dozen eggs under our broody Buff Orpington and it's day 22. I still see and hear no signs of chicks . She has moved them around constantly since we got them- sometimes some sit out while she sits on others and then she rearranges them a little while later. I don't know if they all got too cold or if it's just going to take longer to develop. I'm going to give it a few more days and then consider getting some day old chicks if nothing hatches.

 

[TiaRC]

We put a dozen eggs under our broody Buff Orpington and it's day 22.  I still see and hear no signs of chicks .  She has moved them around constantly since we got them- sometimes some sit out while she sits on others and then she rearranges them a little while later.  I don't know if they all got too cold or if it's just going to take longer to develop.  I'm going to give it a few more days and then consider getting some day old chicks if nothing hatches.

You need to candle them now! Look for movement if none, do float test. Float they are still good. Sink they are dead