Broody Hen Thread!

[PD-Riverman]

Thank you. And yes I will have to attempt to move her tonight into a dog crate inside of the coop. Obviously she is just too small to defend her nest.

Some Good Words There. Yes I would wipe it off if it is Covered, but if there is some just on one side I would leave it alone, and Yes This Is One of My Biggest reasons for Moving Every Broody Hen I have!! Good Luck!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Hello again everybody! I have a slight emergency. At least I think I do. My little bantam hen that I posted on earlier has started another clutch. She had been sitting on them for almost five days (today was day 5). So again the other hens came in and busted one of the eggs. Well that covered her last egg in yoke. I don't know if it is ok to take a warm cloth down there and wipe it down seeing as that would remove the protective layer. But if I don't wipe it down won't all the pores be clogged with yoke....???? Please advise. Thank you. And yes I will have to attempt to move her tonight into a dog crate inside of the coop. Obviously she is just too small to defend her nest.

Don't panic...the bloom on the egg is amazing protection.

If it really got soaked, just gently dab the egg with something soft and dry...a paper towel, some clean sawdust. I like to use pet store quality timothy hay bedding for nest material on top of the pine shavings for my broodies, (the kind for gerbils and hamsters), as it is so soft and dry and absorbent that it really helps sop up messes like this before they become a problem. Mildly dirty or a little smudged eggs, I don't even bother. I figure it is best to disturb the bloom as little as possible.

Never put water on an egg as that will only make matters worse by washing off the bloom...but then again, amazingly washed (and even refrigerated) eggs have hatched too! However, don't expect a high hatch rate with that!

Glad to hear you moved her into her own separate place so the others can't tromp on her hard work.

Good luck
Lady of McCamley

 

[deerlady11]

I did have one other question I forgot to ask. I was wondering if it is ok to put my little bantam rooster in the dog crate with her? tT help keep her warm at night and give her some company. He is pretty laid back. Actually he is at the absolute bottom on the pecking order. There are two other roosters that keep him there. Any thoughts on this?

I went out there and wiped the egg down with a warm damp cloth. It was completely covered with yolk and then hay was stuck in that and it was all dried up so it did not wipe off easily. I don't know that it will make it but we can try. I slipped a couple of her other eggs I had sitting on the counter in there with them. I know they are a few days behind but I thought I would give it a try.

I put her in the dog crate and she does NOT like it. She calmed down a little bit after I put Mr. Feathers (bantam roo) in with her.

Thanks for the suggestion on the gerbil bedding. I will keep that in mind.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I picked up my new broodies yesterday!!!! (To replace my poor hawk-loss Oma-San, my beloved main broody for the last 4 years).

Here they are.

A veteran broody Silkie of 4 1/2 years, given as a gift from a fellow chicken lover so she can have a forever home doing what she loves most...BROODING....She has a very regal attitude towards the 2 little hand maids that I picked up yesterday, so I've dubbed her The Queen Mum (especially with the hat she wears!)




and the 2 little bantam Cochins....Rosie and Mimsy...3 to 4 months old (closer to 4 mos. the owner and I think)...from a very, very broody Buff Cochin mom and a Mille Fleur Cochin dad.


Mimsy in front...Rosie (short for Rosemere is hard to see in the back)....so

 

[PD-Riverman]

. I was wondering if it is ok to put my little bantam rooster in the dog crate with her? tT help keep her warm at night and give her some company.

I would not, but those are your chickens. I want my broody by herself which is why I move all broodys to a private pen shortly after they start setting, I move them after dark and move the whole nest so I do not upset her.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I did have one other question I forgot to ask. I was wondering if it is ok to put my little bantam rooster in the dog crate with her? tT help keep her warm at night and give her some company. He is pretty laid back. Actually he is at the absolute bottom on the pecking order. There are two other roosters that keep him there. Any thoughts on this?

I went out there and wiped the egg down with a warm damp cloth. It was completely covered with yolk and then hay was stuck in that and it was all dried up so it did not wipe off easily. I don't know that it will make it but we can try. I slipped a couple of her other eggs I had sitting on the counter in there with them. I know they are a few days behind but I thought I would give it a try.

I put her in the dog crate and she does NOT like it. She calmed down a little bit after I put Mr. Feathers (bantam roo) in with her.

Thanks for the suggestion on the gerbil bedding. I will keep that in mind.

Typically brooding hens will brood alone, and WANT to, and it is best to have them separate and isolated so they can peacefully go about their business without disturbances to unsettle the matter...but then again, some actually prefer to co-brood with other hens, especially if they are sisters and go broody at the same time, and some close flock members likewise.

It is likely she was simply objecting to being moved after having chosen her nest site. Most hens do not like to move once they've begun the brooding process having bonded to the idea at that particular spot and will take several days to settle in a new location...some hens never settle in the new spot, especially if they can see and/or return to their old spot.

As to roo's...usually it is not a good idea as mom does not want them around as they are just a source of distraction and irritation since they prefer strutting around getting attention and are not interested in the process, but some roo's are great daddies and really take care of their brooding ladies. If they seem to be helpful to one another, and you really are concerned about her being alone in very cold weather, you can try it and watch very, very closely to see if he is a help or a hindrance. Likely he'll be a disturbance risking eggs, but he might prove useful if he is the right type. Contact @fisherlady as she has been very successful at a more communal brooding set up and likely can give you some pointers and the signs if looks possible. It really depends on the birds....but only especially calm and laid back birds will communal brood with success and only a very special rooster will be helpful to his ladies, protecting them so that they can go about their job.

If your concern is about her warmth, she should be in a protected area that is free from wind and cold drafts. An ambient cold temperature won't bother her, but wind, drafts, and damp is not good. My hens have been fine hatching in the teens with wind chill below that and 6 inches of snow on the ground...but they are out of all of that weather in a cozy nest in a sealed brooding hutch. Good air circulation, but no cold or damp drafts. And no outside source of heat. The hen will be incubating those eggs at 100 to 101 degrees, so she IS the heat source as long as she is out of the elements and drafts.

I would be more concerned with your addition of a couple more eggs later to the clutch than the egg that had yolk on it. Staggered hatches result from eggs being set at different times, and it often creates a situation where the hen will stay on the not yet hatched eggs ignoring the hatched chicks or will ignore the not yet hatched eggs to tend to the hatched chicks. Chicks do not need water or food for the first 2 days of life to allow for some natural staggering as it can take 24 to 48 hours for all the chicks to pip and hatch...with eggs being set at the same time...your eggs could hatch up to 4 days later. That could create a situation as mentioned above especially for a first time broody hen. Most hens will be up and taking care of the hatched brood by day 2.

You can let this all ride and see what happens, but definitely do not add any more eggs and try to keep things as stable and calm as possible so the hen can focus on her job of incubating those eggs and hatching some chicks.

Good Luck
Lady of McCamley

 

[fisherlady]

I did have one other question I forgot to ask. I was wondering if it is ok to put my little bantam rooster in the dog crate with her? tT help keep her warm at night and give her some company. He is pretty laid back. Actually he is at the absolute bottom on the pecking order. There are two other roosters that keep him there. Any thoughts on this?

I went out there and wiped the egg down with a warm damp cloth. It was completely covered with yolk and then hay was stuck in that and it was all dried up so it did not wipe off easily. I don't know that it will make it but we can try. I slipped a couple of her other eggs I had sitting on the counter in there with them. I know they are a few days behind but I thought I would give it a try.

I put her in the dog crate and she does NOT like it. She calmed down a little bit after I put Mr. Feathers (bantam roo) in with her.

Thanks for the suggestion on the gerbil bedding. I will keep that in mind.

Typically brooding hens will brood alone, and WANT to, and it is best to have them separate and isolated so they can peacefully go about their business without disturbances to unsettle the matter...but then again, some actually prefer to co-brood with other hens, especially if they are sisters and go broody at the same time, and some close flock members likewise.

It is likely she was simply objecting to being moved after having chosen her nest site. Most hens do not like to move once they've begun the brooding process having bonded to the idea at that particular spot and will take several days to settle in a new location...some hens never settle in the new spot, especially if they can see and/or return to their old spot.

As to roo's...usually it is not a good idea as mom does not want them around as they are just a source of distraction and irritation since they prefer strutting around getting attention and are not interested in the process, but some roo's are great daddies and really take care of their brooding ladies. If they seem to be helpful to one another, and you really are concerned about her being alone in very cold weather, you can try it and watch very, very closely to see if he is a help or a hindrance. Likely he'll be a disturbance risking eggs, but he might prove useful if he is the right type. Contact @fisherlady as she has been very successful at a more communal brooding set up and likely can give you some pointers and the signs if looks possible. It really depends on the birds....but only especially calm and laid back birds will communal brood with success and only a very special rooster will be helpful to his ladies, protecting them so that they can go about their job.

If your concern is about her warmth, she should be in a protected area that is free from wind and cold drafts. An ambient cold temperature won't bother her, but wind, drafts, and damp is not good. My hens have been fine hatching in the teens with wind chill below that and 6 inches of snow on the ground...but they are out of all of that weather in a cozy nest in a sealed brooding hutch. Good air circulation, but no cold or damp drafts. And no outside source of heat. The hen will be incubating those eggs at 100 to 101 degrees, so she IS the heat source as long as she is out of the elements and drafts.

I would be more concerned with your addition of a couple more eggs later to the clutch than the egg that had yolk on it. Staggered hatches result from eggs being set at different times, and it often creates a situation where the hen will stay on the not yet hatched eggs ignoring the hatched chicks or will ignore the not yet hatched eggs to tend to the hatched chicks. Chicks do not need water or food for the first 2 days of life to allow for some natural staggering as it can take 24 to 48 hours for all the chicks to pip and hatch...with eggs being set at the same time...your eggs could hatch up to 4 days later. That could create a situation as mentioned above especially for a first time broody hen. Most hens will be up and taking care of the hatched brood by day 2.

You can let this all ride and see what happens, but definitely do not add any more eggs and try to keep things as stable and calm as possible so the hen can focus on her job of incubating those eggs and hatching some chicks.

Good Luck
Lady of McCamley

deerlady11,
Lady of McCamley has given you some great advice on all fronts.... I especially agree with her warning about the dangers of staggered hatches. I know it can work, but it can also cause a lot of stress or problems for the early hatchers also, so be very vigilant after hatching begins to avoid abandoned chicks or eggs and you should have an incubator back up plan in place if the mama hen decides to get up and take care of the older hatched chicks and abandons the later eggs. The mama hen most likely won't get off of the nest for the first day, but after that she could get up and out with the early chicks almost anytime, so frequent checks will be needed so you can rescue any abandoned eggs in time to save them.

As for the rooster..... I have my hens do most of their brooding time in the coop with the flock and even though I have some awesome roosters for taking care of hens and chicks I rarely find they are of any help while a hen is brooding. I have had hens who like to co-brood, but they don't want any rooster attention when they are up for their daily break and in fact get quite upset about it. If you have a small sub flock that the broody is a part of then you may be able to isolate them as a group with your broody having an comfortable area in the corner and the other (non-aggressive) hens and rooster having the rest of the area. If the little rooster doesn't have a hen to pay attention to him he may start bothering the broody and she won't appreciate it at all. The other problem I can think of with removing the little rooster from the coop is that he may have a really nasty time being re-integrated after the brooding is done. Any hens I have given more isolation to because of their lower pecking order status have seemed very content to spend their 3 weeks perfecting their Buddah impersonation with no signs of worrying about a social life. Although my set up allows me to provide them a private fenced off nest which is still in the coop and within sight and sound of the rest of the flock.

Good luck with your hen and hopefully your egg will continue to develop for you!

 

[deerlady11]

Thank you for all the great advice. My bantam hen did not like being moved and wanted nothing to do with the nest. The surviving egg was stone cold. I gathered up a handful of other eggs and set them on the shelf (where she was nesting before I moved her) temporarily while I finished another chore. I came back and there she was sitting happily on those eggs. See I turned the shelf into a giant nesting box and just put dividers in it. So I can't technically move the nesting box. So seeing as I am running out the door I just hurried up and set up somewhat of a cage out of chicken wire that she can come and go as she pleases and hopefully it will deter the bigger hens from coming up. I am going to have to figure something out. Thank you again for all the great advice!!!

 

[TeaChick]

My hen decided not to be broody. =(
I was only able to salvage two of the eggs, so I stuck them in the brooder. I only had to stack one of them.

 

[PD-Riverman]

My bantam hen did not like being moved and wanted nothing to do with the nest.

DeerLady did you move her after dark?? I moved 33 this season----everyone after dark, nest and all. I did not have a one to act up.