Broody Hen Thread!

[WildfireSmitty]

Here's a picture of Nessie, Day 3. Do NOT try to pet her. Ask me how I know...

That's a look only a mother could give. I'm scared just looking at this pic.

 

[Shahans]

We have a small backyard flock of seramas. I decided to try my hand at hatching some eggs in the incubator...4 days after I started them, one of the hens went broody. Long story short...we now have a 2nd hen sitting on eggs in the same nesting box. They are about 2 weeks into this. My question is, the nesting box is about a foot off the floor. There is no way to section off the coop. There is feed in the coop but it is in a small trough attached to the wall that is about 6 inches off the floor. The coop is also raised about 3 ft so there is a 3.5" ramp to the outside where the water is. There is also no room for a dog carrier as one of the lower roosts runs diagonally across the inside. (we converted a small wooden playhouse) what is the best thing for us to do? I was going to try to take the chicks out and just raise them inside with the ones we already planned on raising in the brooder but I don't want to cause harm or stress out the mommas. Help?

 

[chicksurreal]

That's a look only a mother could give. I'm scared just looking at this pic.

Right! The Dark Cornish have a stern look anyway, but she bumped it up to frightening! Lol!

 

[Cknldy]

My very first broody hatched her chicks in their house 3 feet up with a ramp. When the chicks were not yet a week old I found Momma with them out in the run. Ramp has no sides just treads (?) every so many inches. My guess is they are tough cuz at least 1 chick had to have skydived off the ramp! Lively little cuteness and the momma looked at me as if I were the dumb one for expecting them to still be in the house;-) Guess the food and water inside wasn't as good as outside. Good mommas and sometimes papas will take their babies where they need to go.

 

[Cknldy]

Current broody in the new broody apartment. Nest box is 14" wide and Goldie is serious in her 2nd week! She is kind enough to let me touch her and with her last clutch I could reach right under her to see the chicks. When I sold her chicks at about 4 weeks old the buyer commented on how momma didn't attack me and was so trusting. Her chicks were fully feathered so I think she was even ready for single life again

 

[holm25]

Current broody in the new broody apartment. Nest box is 14" wide and Goldie is serious in her 2nd week! She is kind enough to let me touch her and with her last clutch I could reach right under her to see the chicks. When I sold her chicks at about 4 weeks old the buyer commented on how momma didn't attack me and was so trusting. Her chicks were fully feathered so I think she was even ready for single life again

Those kind of broodies r the best. None of my broodies peck at me. 2 Cochin bantams who have been sitting for almost 2 weeks and 1 BO who has been broody for 2 months and I finally managed to get eggs for her!! This line of Cochins must be broody as they both went broody the same day and now my standard Cochin is starting to cluck like she is going to start sitting!!!

 

[ShockValue]

We moved mama to a new location on the coop floor last night. Better spot for the chicks and it opens up everyone's favorite nesting box again.



Now we just need to make it through the next 2 weeks until we have chicks

 

[crazychicken5]

I have a broody bantam hen, and was going to stick some eggs under her. However I'm not sure if I should move her or leave her in the coop?. there's one bantam rooster and another bantam hen in with her right now and three nesting boxes?

 

[n3kms]

Okay, tonight is the night. I'm running out of time trying to get things ready. The weather has been totally uncooperative. We'll move our broody tonight and if she settles okay then tomorrow night I will add 2-3 eggs from the incubator to her two eggs she has. They should hatch around Wednesday. If she does okay with those chicks then I'm going to sneak the rest under her after they hatch. Then I'll take the two that she has been sitting on and put them in the incubator and check if they are viable or not. They would be around a week behind.

They will go in here.

I'll just pick her up with this adapted dishpan

And sit that pan into this other dishpan that is screwed in.

 

[n3kms]

We moved mama to a new location on the coop floor last night. Better spot for the chicks and it opens up everyone's favorite nesting box again. Now we just need to make it through the next 2 weeks until we have chicks

I like that. Nice and roomy for the family. How did she take to the move?