Broody Hen Thread!

[SD Bird Lady]

Not sure, is she molting.... Short winter days maybe?

 

[Angie16hearts]

Not sure, is she molting.... Short winter days maybe?

Definitely not molting .

she is the head hen. We lost a rooster 2 days before she started laying. We got them together.

We took first two eggs. Then she started sitting on and off. So I let her do her thing. 8 eggs later and 2 golf balls a couple and a few days watching her hormones go hay wire. She stopped showing interest. so I pulled clutch and have not had a egg since. I went and felt all 8 other hens hip bones. A few are laying a couple are not. So they all had a good space. Pepper had no more then a finger space between hers. I gave her plenty of time but 10 weeks+ ? Any information would be great. She has mated with our new rooster. Not sure if that helps ? This picture is 3 months old but she hasn't changed a bit very small but not bantam small . We do supplement light.

 

[ChickyChickens]

Broody hatched seven of eight eggs despite the cold. All are doing good in brooding crate.

WOW!!

Mine hatched 10/10

 

[SD Bird Lady]

@Angie16hearts I had a California white hen that laid daily for about 2 months and then just stopped. Her comb got pale and she was just a "pet" for a year. She was completely healthy but never laid again so when I had to him the flock she went to the pot. I never knew what her deal was. Just a short reproductive life I assume.

 

[Blooie]

5/10 Much warmer here today - it was -7 F when I woke up this morning but it's now up to 18. Guess I'd better break out my shorts! Scout now has his own page, if you are following him. The link is in my signature - or whatever that thingy at the bottom of the posts is called.

 

[Angie16hearts]

@Angie16hearts I had a California white hen that laid daily for about 2 months and then just stopped. Her comb got pale and she was just a "pet" for a year. She was completely healthy but never laid again so when I had to him the flock she went to the pot. I never knew what her deal was. Just a short reproductive life I assume.

Bummer , my husband already said he couldn't cull her. Being she was our First Lady. She is strange kinda a loner. I will give her tell spring. If nothing happens she will be our pet. It's crazy to think she may only lay 10-11 eggs in her life. I got her from a farm that seemed shady to me after I thought back. She's so mixed and I have a feeling they were fighting the Roosters. We originally got 4 but the 3 others died on us. Gives me another thing to think about. Thank you so much for your help! Greatly appreciated ! Luckily my 10 others are doing great.

 

[3 Chicks]

Can someone put my mind at ease? I live in sunny Florida but we're experiencing a cold blast last night and today--in the mid 30's (don't laugh, those of you from up north!). My broody hen has been on eggs for a little under a week. Can she keep them warm enough in those temps?

 

[vpatt]

My broody is on eggs and it was 15° here this morning........I don't know how well the eggs will do. She is out of wind and weather. I would think yours would be good....but since you usually have much warmer temps I am not certain. Good luck! I will be watching to see what others tell you.

 

[3 Chicks]

My broody is on eggs and it was 15° here this morning........I don't know how well the eggs will do. She is out of wind and weather. I would think yours would be good....but since you usually have much warmer temps I am not certain. Good luck! I will be watching to see what others tell you.

So your thinking that the sudden blast may have a negative affect?

 

[fisherlady]

Can someone put my mind at ease? I live in sunny Florida but we're experiencing a cold blast last night and today--in the mid 30's (don't laugh, those of you from up north!). My broody hen has been on eggs for a little under a week. Can she keep them warm enough in those temps?

As long as a hen has a reasonably secured (draft free and dry) area she will have no problem with keeping the eggs warm as long as she has a reasonable nest. A bird's body temperature is the same no matter if they are north or south and as long as there is no way for outside temps to directly contact the eggs then there should be no problems with the hatch related to the temps. When it is extremely cold I do make sure the nest has additional insulation in the bottom of it by making the nesting material deeper, this helps reduce heat loss and therefore will aid the hen in maintaining a more constant nest temperature. A nest on bare wood (such as a coop floor) or bare plastic (tub or bucket) without nesting material would be much more susceptible to heat loss with temperature swings.

We have had many successful hatches during the winter with average coop temps in the teens... I do make sure the hen has plenty of high quality feed during cold winter hatches in particular because maintaining good heat levels takes a lot of calories!