Broody Hen Thread!

[Lady of McCamley]

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Emergency ! I got home today and pepper had 6 more eggs under her. All laid today so that would be 16 total. I pulled the 6 and relized one of the ones she's been sitting on is in the next box and cold! Oh no! I carefully put it back in her clutch. IS THIS EGG ANY GOOD?ߘ㠓he has been on it since Tuesday night. This is one of the main ones I want to hatch!!

My husband got called into work and won't be back intel friday . I'm assuming I need to get a divider out there myself.

I'm not expecting them all to hatch. I hope she gets all ten. However I realize with all the girls either laying in her box or pepper stealing the others eggs is a lot of movement at that ! I can't see 6 hens laying in 20-30 minutes during her 1-2 breaks. I'm only seeing her up once a day.

I'm really worried about the fertile cold egg!!! ߘ੠and the eggs getting shuffled around. I will be up early with what I can find. This will be funny$ߘƛ/quote]

I would not lose hope. While it is not good that the egg got cold, more eggs have still developed successfully after being chilled. It may be delayed though and hatch a day or two later..or not. Sometimes they are amazingly hardy.

However your experience highlights what many of us experience with communal hatching and why I personally choose to always segregate and isolate my boody and eggs.

Lady of McCamley

 

[PD-Riverman]

Quote: I am with you 100% Lady of McCamley. "I" too Always Move My Broody Hens! Moving them reduces Problems by 95%---Maybe 99%--LOL.

 

[ChickyChickens]

I have decided i am not going to be having any broodies for a while!! OUr dog killed l;ike more than half my flock and i want to just use my 2 batoirs till i have abiut 800 !

 

[PD-Riverman]

I have decided i am not going to be having any broodies for a while!! OUr dog killed l;ike more than half my flock and i want to just use my 2 batoirs till i have abiut 800 !

Sorry about you loosing your chickens-----You might want to think about doing something with that dog----before you get the "800"!

 

[Angie16hearts]

I am with you 100% Lady of McCamley. "I" too Always Move My Broody Hens! Moving them reduces Problems by 95%---Maybe 99%--LOL.

I tried to move her. She wanted nothing to do with it! I didn't want her to stop Sitting on her clutch . So I'm going to divide the coop today. Crossing my fingers it goes ok. I already have my husband walking me though what I need to do. Since he's gone. This is my first broody. I'm definitely learning. I was hoping she could do this in the coop and move her closer to the due date. I'm crossing my fingers!

 

[PD-Riverman]

I tried to move her. She wanted nothing to do with it! I didn't want her to stop Sitting on her clutch . So I'm going to divide the coop today. Crossing my fingers it goes ok. I already have my husband walking me though what I need to do. Since he's gone. This is my first broody. I'm definitely learning. I was hoping she could do this in the coop and move her closer to the due date. I'm crossing my fingers!

I hope it goes good for you!!!! Just For Info----I use milk crates for most of my nesting boxes-----if the hen happens to start setting in a older nest---which it is not moveable---I catch her off the nest if possible and I put the nesting material(or part) into a milk crate and place the milk crate in the nest if its big enough------if Not I attach a milk crate at the entrance of her present nest----blocking off her nest and putting eggs in the milk crate. These eggs can be fake if you want. She usually jumps right in and starts setting on those eggs. I then give her a couple days to settle in----then in the BLACK dark I move her----(only flash a dim light just a second to get my bearings if needed)--- I move nest and all gently---without picking her up. I set this milk crate nest in the hatching pen, where I have food and water already set-up so when it starts getting daylight the next morning----she can get off the nest--eat and drink alone, etc. I been lucky I guess because I moved 33 this past season and everyone continued setting on the eggs. I had one that was fussing shortly after daylight----her eggs were fresh so I was not worried about her staying off the nest for a while----I did not go towards her----just let her fuss---in less than 30 minutes she was on the eggs and hatched them all.

 

[Angie16hearts]

I hope it goes good for you!!!! Just For Info----I use milk crates for most of my nesting boxes-----if the hen happens to start setting in a older nest---which it is not moveable---I catch her off the nest if possible and I put the nesting material(or part) into a milk crate and place the milk crate in the nest if its big enough------if Not I attach a milk crate at the entrance of her present nest----blocking off her nest and putting eggs in the milk crate. These eggs can be fake if you want. She usually jumps right in and starts setting on those eggs. I then give her a couple days to settle in----then in the BLACK dark I move her----(only flash a dim light just a second to get my bearings if needed)--- I move nest and all gently---without picking her up. I set this milk crate nest in the hatching pen, where I have food and water already set-up so when it starts getting daylight the next morning----she can get off the nest--eat and drink alone, etc. I been lucky I guess because I moved 33 this past season and everyone continued setting on the eggs. I had one that was fussing shortly after daylight----her eggs were fresh so I was not worried about her staying off the nest for a while----I did not go towards her----just let her fuss---in less than 30 minutes she was on the eggs and hatched them all.

Ok, I have a broody coop that I previously tried. We are going on day 8 with new eggs . She's doing really well! I divide the coop before I left . With a talk board. Only to find a hen on top of her laying. So I pulled her off. Then I watched girls enter and exit coop they are all going to the right. I also, put a couple 4x4 like a square around her so she can be in closed but still leave to eat ect.. I will move her tonight. I am pulling eggs as they lay 3 so far today. However , I had to get to work. I'm crossing my fingers! And I agree it's time she moves. I hope we at least get 3-4 out of the 10. She's small I couldn't believe she had 16 eggs under her! Ugh crazy hens. Thank you every one for walking me through my first broody! I feel stupid ! I guess we all have to learn. Thank goodness for this thread !!!
How long should I give her in the morning ? I don't want her off eggs to long!

 

[Angie16hearts]

I see you said let her sit on eggs in milk crate for a few days? Before I move her?

 

[PD-Riverman]

I see you said let her sit on eggs in milk crate for a few days? Before I move her?

Yes Sudden changes, new location, etc----she probably want go for it. Thats why if I had to change her to a milk crate(this is what I use---with the front almost cut out of it---you can use what ever you want) I do not change her location till she is ok with the nest box change. Most all my nesting boxes are milk crates----then all i got to do is move mine at night. Tried moving one almost at dark----NO WAY. Never had a problem after dark----as long as I kept the light off most of the time. Here is a picture of one of my chicken tractors----hope you can see the milk crate nest-----how I got the front cut.

 

[Angie16hearts]

Yes Sudden changes, new location, etc----she probably want go for it. Thats why if I had to change her to a milk crate(this is what I use---with the front almost cut out of it---you can use what ever you want) I do not change her location till she is ok with the nest box change. Most all my nesting boxes are milk crates----then all i got to do is move mine at night. Tried moving one almost at dark----NO WAY. Never had a problem after dark----as long as I kept the light off most of the time. Here is a picture of one of my chicken tractors----hope you can see the milk crate nest-----how I got the front cut.

Makes sense! When I do check her eggs, I always leave 2-3 eggs from the other hens and 2 golf balls for her to sit on while I count her clutch. She has no problem with me doing this. She does try to steal eggs from her original nest. I try to do it careful and fast. So this may will be the route I take! Then the other hens won't lay on top of her.

at first I thought she was stealing eggs. She's just not budging out of all 10 hens favorite nest. I hope my temporary set up works for the day