Broody Hen Thread!

[MrsMommaJones]

Today is day 11 for these little guys. Large egg is from a RiR the small one is a new Hampshire red. Both sired by Roo, a large bantam Cochin.

I candled them this afternoon and the little embryo in the the egg is much smaller than the one in the smaller egg. Both are moving and appear to be healthy but should I be worried?

 

[ChickyChickens]

Thank you for your expertise I will not put the eggs under this hen she has not yet hatched any chicks. This is her second time this year trying to set on nothing. I will break her mode again she seems like she wants to hatch eggs. The whole pen has stopped laying because of her.

The whole pen?

Today is day 11 for these little guys. Large egg is from a RiR the small one is a new Hampshire red. Both sired by Roo, a large bantam Cochin.

I candled them this afternoon and the little embryo in the the egg is much smaller than the one in the smaller egg. Both are moving and appear to be healthy but should I be worried?

I hope all goes well!!

 

[PD-Riverman]

Thank you for your expertise I will not put the eggs under this hen she has not yet hatched any chicks. This is her second time this year trying to set on nothing. I will break her mode again she seems like she wants to hatch eggs. The whole pen has stopped laying because of her.

I am sure her setting has had nothing to do with the other hens not laying. Why would you not "set" the hen---I missed that part? I set 27 hens just this season and they ""All"" hatched 95+% of the fertile eggs I put under them(most hens hatched 100%). There are so many post on here that as I read them---I say to myself---thats going to be a Problem hatch, etc. I am no expert, but I know to get a good Hen hatch, you need to do a few things to help.

Wishing you all the Best hatches!

 

[Rhandi74]

I am sure her setting has had nothing to do with the other hens not laying. Why would you not "set" the hen---I missed that part? I set 27 hens just this season and they ""All"" hatched 95+% of the fertile eggs I put under them(most hens hatched 100%). There are so many post on here that as I read them---I say to myself---thats going to be a Problem hatch, etc. I am no expert, but I know to get a good Hen hatch, you need to do a few things to help.

Wishing you all the Best hatches!

Just curious, what are the few things that need to be done?

 

[fisherlady]

Just curious, what are the few things that need to be done?

Primary.... eggs should be all set at same time if being done by a human. Hens who gather their own clutch are basically 'storing' the eggs till they are ready to set, then once the hen parks herself on the nest all of the eggs start developing from there.

.... if a hen is setting on a clutch, you should mark her eggs if the nest is accessible to other birds. This will allow you to pull 'intruder' eggs laid by the other hens. The 'intruder eggs' (just the name my DH and I use for them) can cause problems a couple of ways... it can cause too many eggs in a nest which may result in already started eggs getting pushed out to edges and getting cold, or it can result in a staggered hatch, which may cause the hen to either abandon eggs or neglect already hatched chicks.
... if the flock isn't broody friendly, and multiple other hens routinely bother the broody then you are risking eggs being broke when the hens squabble. The broody will try to defend her space, and can even be injured when doing so and eggs can be broken. When this happens then alternate nesting/segregation measures should be taken.
.... broken eggs (from issue above) are not only a problem because you lost the broken egg, but you also risk contamination of the other eggs and it may result in a secondary loss of 2 or 3 more.
... overwhelming broodies with too many eggs. Some large fowl hens can cover 18+ eggs, but maxxing out a broody for coverage increases risk of broken eggs and eggs which may have development problems because they are too far out from under the center of the broody for too long at a time. The broody will shuffle eggs in an attempt to keep all of them warm, but again, having 18 or 20 eggs can make it problematic for her. Why cause the problem if simply reducing the egg # by 3 or 4 eggs can make it easier on her? Extremely large clutches of chicks can also be problematic for the hen to keep warm after they are 2 or 3 weeks old if the weather isn't cooperative.

 

[Rhandi74]

Primary.... eggs should be all set at same time if being done by a human.  Hens who gather their own clutch are basically 'storing' the eggs till they are ready to set, then once the hen parks herself on the nest all of the eggs start developing from there.

.... if a hen is setting on a clutch, you should mark her eggs if the nest is accessible to other birds.  This will allow you to pull 'intruder' eggs laid by the other hens.  The 'intruder eggs' (just the name my DH and I use for them) can cause problems a couple of ways... it can cause too many eggs in a nest which may result in already started eggs getting pushed out to edges and getting cold, or it can result in a staggered hatch, which may cause the hen to either abandon eggs or neglect already hatched chicks.
... if the flock isn't broody friendly, and multiple other hens routinely bother the broody then you are risking eggs being broke when the hens squabble. The broody will try to defend her space, and can even be injured when doing so and eggs can be broken.  When this happens then alternate nesting/segregation measures should be taken.
.... broken eggs (from issue above) are not only a problem because you lost the broken egg, but you also risk contamination of the other eggs and it may result in a secondary loss of 2 or 3 more.
... overwhelming broodies with too many eggs.  Some large fowl hens can cover 18+ eggs, but maxxing out a broody for coverage increases risk of broken eggs and eggs which may have development problems because they are too far out from under the center of the broody for too long at a time. The broody will shuffle eggs in an attempt to keep all of them warm, but again, having 18 or 20 eggs can make it problematic for her.  Why cause the problem if simply reducing the egg # by 3 or 4 eggs can make it easier on her?  Extremely large clutches of chicks can also be problematic for the hen to keep warm after they are 2 or 3 weeks old if the weather isn't cooperative. 

Thank you, I wanted to make sure I am doing everything right. I already do all those things from advice given to me on BYC. I was worried about giving my LF Cochin 12 eggs, but I guess it is not too many. None have broke and one was pulled at candling because it was no good. She covers them all nicely and when She is off the nest they are all warm.

 

[kemcarver]

....I have my first layer.. white bantam has 7tiny eggs under her.has beeenin then religiously.how long does it take? And my frizzle male has been standing guard of her so im wondering if hes a proud poppa.so im wondering after they are sitting on them to hatch.do they no longer lay until those r hatched? Ill try to get a pic.she made her own lil nest on the ground.

 

[MrsMommaJones]

Normally when a hen is broody she will nor get off of her eggs for but a few minutes a day. You'll know when she outs because she will also become moody when anyone comes near the nest

 

[PD-Riverman]

Just curious, what are the few things that need to be done?

FisherLady described it real good. With me---ALL broody hens get moved to a "private" hatching pen---this is a place where she is protected, can get off the nest and walk around, eat and drink. I usually move them about 3 to 4 days after I set them. I move them at night, moving the "movable" nest, eggs and hen-----the hen is never taken off her eggs to move her. I do not allow the hen to "collect her eggs"---I put the eggs under her that I want her to set on. These eggs are pencil marked so if another hen lays a egg in her nest before I move her---I remove them daily. I set 27 hens this season, moved them all, never had one to leave the nest, rarely a broken or fertile egg that does not hatch. Never a fight over the nest doing it this way.

OK having said that---let me say this----I use My Hens as Hatching hens, sometimes they are setting on $20 a dozen eggs that I bought, Its Very important that they Hatch the best they can so my pens/nest are designed to help so this can happen.

Edited to add-----When the chicks hatch they all stay in these pens till the chicks are old enough to take them from the mother. These pens are snake/rodent proof. Good Luck with your hatches.

 

[Sustained]

How old are hens when they generally go broody for the first time? My hens are roughly 8 months old and have never showed the inclination as far as I've ever seen. They're barred Plymouth rock if that has a role in it. I also don't have a roo but I've read about hens going broody without one around so I'm guessing that isn't a component?