Broody Hen Thread!

[chickengeorgeto]

.....I did tap on one egg that was at the edge of her feathers....

Don't worry about eggs peeking out from under a hen. Setting hens move, turn, shuffle, and re-shuffel their eggs constantly. I have forgotten how many times a day that a hen turns or moves each egg but it would in no time wear out the egg turning machinery in an incubator, that is if the incubator tried to keep up with the hen.

Also put a capital X on one side of the egg and a capital O on the other or opposite side or flank of the egg. This helps you keep up with which eggs have been turned during storage or incubation and which eggs have not. Don't forget to properly DATE each and every egg so that you can set only the freshest eggs and enjoy the older eggs for frying, baking, and boiling. The rule of thumb is that a hen can satisfactory incubate 15 of her own eggs or eggs that are the same size as the eggs that the hen lays.

The best hatching results are achieved by using a flat pointed shovel to cut out a chunk of turf a little bigger than the interior of the nest. This turf is put grass side DOWN in the bottom of the nest and any straw etc is added on top of the turf. Now you have a natural cup shaped nest to hold the eggs. After the hen begins laying and just before you think that she will turn broody, pour about 1/2 to one cup of water around the inside edges of the nest to replenish the moisture in the turf. This is to ensure that there is sufficient moisture or humidity present in the nest to keep the eggs viable and help the peeps shed the membrane when they start hatching. Remember that the Red Jungle Fowl, the wild ancestor of our chickens is a ground nesting bird and this turf trick is intended to mimic nature.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Hey PD-Riverman, if you were using those game hens to brood Belguim Malines chicks(they lay large to jumb eggs) how many would put under one of you're hens at a time?

I am not familiar with your eggs, but I make sure the nest are cupped, lower in the middle. I put 7 yellow buff/Rhode Island red eggs under most, I got one that is a little bigger and I put 8 under her. Here is the deal for me----I might could put a couple more under these hens but I feel I would be over doing it---My Old English game have hatched every fertile egg that I have set under them(that I can remember). I got about a dozen young ones growing to add and/or replace some of the older game hens.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Thank you! Had a hatch of just the two - so I will definitely follow that plan next time! I have plastic easter eggs from my daughter's collection, or I could sharpie mark a grocery store egg and stick that under her. For some reason, I thought that if I took away her egg, she would stop brooding. I knew there was a little window for eggs to stay viable before they start developing, just never thought of taking the eggs she was sitting on, away, Lol! Appreciate everyone's advice!

Hey we all Learn, I did not wake up one morning with alot of knowledge---LOL---I learn something new almost daily. I tell people all the time---when you collect eggs---if you got a mean hen or three that wants to peck you when she is on the nest----get you a welders glove and slide it on when you get to those nest---LOL. I do not pay them any attention---but my skin is tough. I do not remove the hen from the nest----I just slide my open hand---palm down under her and get a grip on the eggs and pull my hand back out-----if she has several I will then stick my other hand under my hand I have her tilted up with---get a few draw it out and get the rest with the first hand. Again I Miss No Nest. I got hens that are so use to me doing this that they will raise up when I start to put my hand under them---as soon as I remove the eggs they will set right back down.

Sorry about the hatch, but Here is wishing you the best hatch the next time!!

 

[A6chickenhome]

I am not familiar with your eggs, but I make sure the nest are cupped, lower in the middle. I put 7 yellow buff/Rhode Island red eggs under most, I got one that is a little bigger and I put 8 under her. Here is the deal for me----I might could put a couple more under these hens but I feel I would be over doing it---My Old English game have hatched every fertile egg that I have set under them(that I can remember). I got about a dozen young ones growing to add and/or replace some of the older game hens.

Sounds like I would be lookin at about 5 eggs under each bird.

 

[A6chickenhome]

Don't worry about eggs peeking out from under a hen.  Setting hens move, turn, shuffle, and re-shuffel their eggs constantly.  I have forgotten how many times a day that a hen turns or moves each egg but it would in no time wear out the egg turning machinery in an incubator, that is if the incubator tried to keep up with the hen.

Also put a capital X on one side of the egg and a capital O on the other or opposite side or flank of the egg.  This helps you keep up with which eggs have been turned during storage or incubation and which eggs have not.  Don't forget to properly DATE each and every egg so that you can set only the freshest eggs and enjoy the older eggs for frying, baking, and boiling.  The rule of thumb is that a hen can satisfactory incubate 15 of her own eggs or eggs that are the same size as the eggs that the hen lays.

The best hatching results are achieved by using a flat pointed shovel to cut out a chunk of turf a little bigger than the interior of the nest.  This turf is put grass side DOWN in the bottom of the nest and any straw etc is added on top of the turf.  Now you have a natural cup shaped nest to hold the eggs.  After the hen begins laying and just before you think that she will turn broody, pour about 1/2 to one cup of water around the inside edges of the nest to replenish the moisture in the turf.  This is to ensure that there is sufficient moisture or humidity present in the nest to keep the eggs viable and help the peeps shed the membrane when they start hatching.  Remember that the Red Jungle Fowl, the wild ancestor of our chickens is a ground nesting bird and this turf trick is intended to mimic nature.       

Very interesting nesting advice, thanks!

 

[PD-Riverman]

Sounds like I would be lookin at about 5 eggs under each bird.

I would place a few under her---making sure she can cover them---if you feel she can handle another one---add it as long as she can keep them covered GOOD.

 

[lilpeepers]

Don't worry about eggs peeking out from under a hen. Setting hens move, turn, shuffle, and re-shuffel their eggs constantly. I have forgotten how many times a day that a hen turns or moves each egg but it would in no time wear out the egg turning machinery in an incubator, that is if the incubator tried to keep up with the hen.

Also put a capital X on one side of the egg and a capital O on the other or opposite side or flank of the egg. This helps you keep up with which eggs have been turned during storage or incubation and which eggs have not. Don't forget to properly DATE each and every egg so that you can set only the freshest eggs and enjoy the older eggs for frying, baking, and boiling. The rule of thumb is that a hen can satisfactory incubate 15 of her own eggs or eggs that are the same size as the eggs that the hen lays.

The best hatching results are achieved by using a flat pointed shovel to cut out a chunk of turf a little bigger than the interior of the nest. This turf is put grass side DOWN in the bottom of the nest and any straw etc is added on top of the turf. Now you have a natural cup shaped nest to hold the eggs. After the hen begins laying and just before you think that she will turn broody, pour about 1/2 to one cup of water around the inside edges of the nest to replenish the moisture in the turf. This is to ensure that there is sufficient moisture or humidity present in the nest to keep the eggs viable and help the peeps shed the membrane when they start hatching. Remember that the Red Jungle Fowl, the wild ancestor of our chickens is a ground nesting bird and this turf trick is intended to mimic nature.

Wow - that is really cool - I will do that next time! I did have a weird mother's intuition that the eggs were too dry, as one contributor to my low hatch. It is winter and I (ahem) put a space heater to blast through the window of the coop. I really agonized over this decision, but she was literally shivering every time I checked on her in her coop, which was in our unheated shed. Anyway, she seemed happy but I was constantly thinking about humidity issues. So, I love this idea! And it makes perfect sense.

 

[n3kms]

I may have a broody for Christmas. She was on the nest at 2:00 this afternoon and still there after dark. Would she be doing that is she was egg bound or only if she was broody? I don't know what she is sitting on. I don't reach under her on a normal day unless I want to lose a finger.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I may have a broody for Christmas. She was on the nest at 2:00 this afternoon and still there after dark. Would she be doing that is she was egg bound or only if she was broody? I don't know what she is sitting on. I don't reach under her on a normal day unless I want to lose a finger.

You need to put on a pair of gloves and a coat and go and get any eggs from under her. You do not have to remove her---just slide your gloved hand under her enough to pick up her front and tilt her backwards then with the other hand get all eggs. If you want her to set---Then I would take another fresh egg and leave under her for the night. (Start collecting fresh fertile eggs)Tomorrow I would remove that egg and any others and then put another fresh egg under her-----the next day if she is still setting---remove all the eggs from under her and set her with fresh "MARKED" eggs---mark your calender. Each DAY take them gloves/coat and lift her front and remove any eggs that are not marked. After about 2 days "I" move all my broody hens--nest and all to a private pen(you do not have to do this, but it makes things better and you do not have to look under her anymore for eggs the other hens layed in her nest), which has enough room for her to get off the nest to stretch her legs, eat, drink etc. Do not put food or water close to her nest where she can eat without getting off the nest. Good Luck!

 

[PD-Riverman]

To answer your question-----she is probably not egg bound----if she is trying to take your hand off----she sounds broody.