Broody Hen Thread!

[holm25]

It is pretty!!

 

[n3kms]

My bounty from yesterday. Isn't it pretty?

Love it!

 

[olliegrow]

Got a question,...Ok what conditions like temps and egg count in nest was it when your hen when broody?
Also what breed and what age was she when she went broody?
Im trying to figure out what makes the best breeds for broody and what and when she goes broody.

I know cochins and silkies are good mamas just curious about everyone's chickens.
thanks everyone

 

[DrFarmersDrWife]

How do you guys set up your broody hens? Are they in a box, secluded, etc? This is my first experience. I have her in a shallow box with hay, and in a private brooder with fresh food and water.

She was doing fine until the second chick hatched. We found it outside the box/nest not even dry and soo cold. Luckily I got it inside and warmed up really quickly and it's doing perfect with my two week olds. Now I keep watching and finding the babies out of the nest box (see picture background for box) crying and cold. Is she pushing them out or are they following her to food and not able to get back in?

For now I have taken each chick away. She's got two more eggs, one with a pip and I think I'll take it away asap too. Should I give them back later, minus the nest box? I'm planing to sell most at a week old so is there even a point of giving them back to her? What's best for her?

Thanks guys!

 

[aatx]

No more chickens getting to share a room. When Lily's new babies started chirping after hatching yesterday, it set Dahlia off. Not sure if she got confused or what, but all of a sudden she went homicidal on her own babies. Thankfully I was in an adjoining room and heard the first squawk. When I made it to them, she was chasing her babies around trying to peck at them. Pulled her out and stuck her in the cat carrier in a different part of the house. Stole a heat lamp from the goat jugs and got it set up in the brooder. Moved Lily and her babies across the hall into a different room. Then I turned on a small, but noisy fan in the chicken room (just aimed at a wall.) I was able to let Dahlia back in with her babies and she acted normal again. But I do have the heat lamp ready just in case I have to go to raising them that way.
All seemed fine every time after that I check last night or this morning. Glad I've got the day off tomorrow so that I can work on getting the other brooder set up for Lily. The chicks will be moving around more by then. I'll also want to be home to be able to check on Dahlia pretty often and make sure she is behaving.
Not sure what this means for my end goal of putting them together. I might try this weekend after everyone is a few days old and see how that goes inside, or it may be that they just have to take turns in the white coop, or one goes to the white coop and I raise one bunch inside...

 

[kada6305]

How many of you have had a hen who isby supposed to ho broody,go broody???? Have brown leghorn who is currently trying to hatch her eggs. Which nsy or may not be infertile.

 

[JJSS89]

Well I've had coturnix quail and bobwhite quail that have gone broody. Both hatched at least 2 chicks successfully. I have had production RIRs go broody and hatch eggs and I have a BBW turkey hen that is currently hatching eggs.

 

[kada6305]

An hour since I took her head out. She stood up when I offered her food. But she still hasn't left lol

 

[fisherlady]

How many of you have had a hen who isby supposed to ho broody,go broody???? Have brown leghorn who is currently trying to hatch her eggs. Which nsy or may not be infertile.

I have 2 hatchery quality Black Jersey Giants who have each hatched multiple broods for us. I have 5 large fowl Silver Pencil Rocks who are as broody as my Silkie, with each brooding at least 3 times last year (they started when they were only 8 months old). We had 2 bard mixes (parents were black sex link hatchery birds) who each brooded before their first birthday.

So yes, non typical broody birds can and do happen.

 

[22lilchickens]

Ok so I think one of my Orpingtons might be going broody. My silkie laid her first egg so I waiting to see if she go broody, but I've had my silkie rooster with her since they were day old and before she laid her first egg he kept breeding her so I plan on seein if her eggs are fertile but if she doesn't go broody and my Orpington turns out to be broody how long can I collect eggs before the get bad to put under my Orpington?