Broody Hen Thread!

[Back2Roots]

Watching the mama hen hatch the chicks is so rewarding.  My hens get this look on their little beaky faces when they hit the lock down phase.  They can feel the babies moving in the chell, and hear them peeping.  So you can see their mama minds working.....as all their eggs start to hatch.  

I'm a first time broody hen mum, so pardon the silly question, but when exactly does "lock down" phase begin? Tomorrow is day 21 for my broody, and I've been taking her off the nest most days and put her in front of feed and water in the run to make sure she's eating, drinking and pooping and stretching her legs (and dust bathing). I didn't put her out yesterday because it rained quite a bit and the run was pretty mucky, but had planned to put her out today after work. Bad idea? Would "lock down" be started already? Should I just put some food and water in the nest box with her so that she doesn't need to get up into the coop for feed and water?

 

[luvmypets]

I'm a first time broody hen mum, so pardon the silly question, but when exactly does "lock down" phase begin? Tomorrow is day 21 for my broody, and I've been taking her off the nest most days and put her in front of feed and water in the run to make sure she's eating, drinking and pooping and stretching her legs (and dust bathing). I didn't put her out yesterday because it rained quite a bit and the run was pretty mucky, but had planned to put her out today after work. Bad idea? Would "lock down" be started already? Should I just put some food and water in the nest box with her so that she doesn't need to get up into the coop for feed and water?

Dont touch her. Lock down was two days ago. Tommorow is hatch day just sit on your hands and be patient, before you know it youll walk in the coop and see lil peeps!

 

[HeyBigRhondaq]

Congrats on your baby! Can't wait to see a picture...sounds like a beautiful color!

I thought surely my Blue Orpington was the daddy. However, that beard says Easter Egger! I'm anxious to see how it feathers out. I love its down color. Another one hatched and is drying under the broody Wyandotte. I hope she and the Buff Orp can co-parent. Anyone have any experience with that? The Wyandotte kinda took over, makes the Orp move if she is on the eggs. The Orp moves to the next box. So, I moved the one chick under the Orp and am letting the Wyandotte stay on the eggs and wet chicks. Seems okay so far. I guess we shall see.

 

[luvmypets]

Cute chick!

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

Quote: I don't count the days...I just look for broody mama's resistance to leaving the nest...and the funny look in her eyes when she can feel and hear the chicks in the shell trying to hatch.
Now, this hatch.....for July 7th....I didn't know if or when they would actually hatch. This OEGB hen seemed unsure of when she wanted to sit. Or even IF she wanted to sit. So she would sit for 6 hours...then get off and go back to normal. Or not sit on them for 3 or 4 days. Between her and her roo, they broke one of the eggs. When she FINALLY (!yay!) decided to get with it....only then did I number the calendar for 22 days. But because of her wishy-washiness, I really had no idea if they were even still viable.
So..I left it all up to her and Mother Nature. I didn't take her off the nest either. She left to do her business on her own schedule.

You will prob know when she is in lockdown when her behavior changes. They refuse to get up then...as the babies are hatching. They seem to know when 3 days are up too.....or...if any of the remaining eggs is still viable. Of course they do!

Mama knows best.

Just watch her and give her access to food and water. She may not even eat....they get so concentrated. I buy fresh grapes for my broodies. They seem like they will never turn down a fresh cold juicy grape. And...it gives them sugar and hydration. I save the juiciest tidbits for the broodies. They are the hens working the hardest during that time.

We learned from the previous hatch..May 1st. I had given both broody hens some eggs....and the OEGB wasn't ready. So I gave her eggs to her daughter pullet...who was ready. But, out of ignorance, I added fresh eggs. That made for a week long staggered hatch. And as a result one of the babies died. Of the 13 eggs under the pullet......9 were from the older hen....2 laid fresh from the pullet..and 2 laid from her same age flockmate. Of those eggs......they started hatching and took a week to finish. It was making the pullet nervous....as she knew the babies needed food, water and out of the nest. So the last egg didn't get what it needed. Heat. Turning. Whatever. That baby was the last to hatch and died 3 days later. It was too week to walk and keep up.

So.....out of 13 eggs. Of staggered development......2 of the original didn't hatch. Developed but died. 1 never developed at all. 3 of the fresh laid eggs hatched. We have 8 healthy juveniles left.

After that hatch.....I decided to not add fresh eggs to whatever was already being sat on.

This hatch......they hatched July 7th and 8th...being "due on the 10th (my calculations). I don't worry about it....my broody hens do a great job as mamas. I jsut stand back and observe, keep them dry and secure, and have food and water available.

Good luck with the hatch!! I'll be waiting ti hear the results!!

 

[itspebbl]

My broody, Snickers has been sitting on 3 infertile eggs and a golf ball for 20 days now. Someone snuck into her box,
probably while she was eating and laid another infertile egg. We don't have any roosters. I have heard that broodies only stay broody for two to four weeks
and I have also heard that they will stay on the nest until chicks. We would like to get some chicks and switch them with eggs. Does anyone have any advice for us?

 

[TiaRC]

My broody, Snickers has been sitting on 3 infertile eggs and a golf ball for 20 days now. Someone snuck into her box, 
probably while she was eating and laid another infertile egg. We don't have any roosters. I have heard that broodies only stay broody for two to four weeks
and I have also heard that they will stay on the nest until chicks. We would like to get some chicks and switch them with eggs. Does anyone have any advice for us?

Yes of course. Get her 6 or so chicks and make the switch at night.

 

[itspebbl]

OK Thanks!! I'm glad that you told me to switch at night!

 

[Back2Roots]

Dont touch her. Lock down was two days ago. Tommorow is hatch day just sit on your hands and be patient, before you know it youll walk in the coop and see lil peeps!

Thanks! I'll leave her be, except for bringing her one or two of her favourite afternoon treats (bits of cherry,or grapes, alfalfa sprouts, yogurt, fermented scratch grains, that sort of thing) and focus on last minute chick safety enhancements to the broody coop.

 

[waynem1983]

Im sure the answer is in here somewhere, but this thread is vast!

I put fertile eggs under my buff orp last friday. I dont take her off the eggs, I let here come and go as she pleases, I figure she will know when is best. Usually she is out and back in within 20 mins, however today she was still wandering around after an hour, so I picked her up and put her back in the nest.

How long is safe for her to be off the eggs? Its not exactly boiling here in the morning, around 17c.

I guess I will wait till cadling day on friday to see how things are progressing, but was curious if I should just leave her to it.?