Broody Hen Thread!

[Sambi89]

Quote:
I wish I could go throw her off the nest for a photo shoot sooooo bad lol. But I will restrain myself until she's done. I will restrain myself till she's done. I will. . . .

 

[fisherlady]

Things are going better today. The hen that took an extended break while her eggs were hatching eventually returned to her nest to sit again. I gave her a few eggs back but left the ones that were pipped in the incubator. Two hatched last night and were returned to mom. The other two hatched early this morning and went out with her after I saw that the first two seemed to be doing alright.

The other hen (who killed her first to hatch yesterday) is still glued to the nest. I heard some peeps and saw movement under her this morning.

I am glad things are looking up for you..... some hens can be a bit freaked when hatch day arrives, this is especially true for new broodies. It also (sometimes) happens when a hen is given eggs which are close to due date when she hasn't been broody for very long (especially fewer than 10 days), it can also happen when a hen is given chicks without having sat on actual hatching eggs.

Broodies seem to go through a 'transition period from 'sitting mode' to 'hatching mode' which is usually started when the hen begins feeling more movement from her eggs and it really kicks in after internal pip when she hears them peeping. I usually notice the hen starting to 'coo and chat' with her eggs a day or two before they are due to hatch.
Twice when eggs were given on 'short notice' to hens of mine they had difficulty with the hatch. In one instance I was able to help the hen accept the chicks by spending a lot of time with them and intervening and distracting her when she started getting upset. It took the better part of a day but she did eventually settle and become a great mom to them for 7 weeks. The second hen smothered two newly hatched chicks before I realized that she was still trying to sit 'tight' on the eggs and wasn't lifting up to give the chicks room. That was the 'aha' moment for me when I realized I hadn't heard her talking to the eggs.... she just wasn't ready to transition and therefore didn't adjust.... I removed the rest of the eggs to another hen who was hatching and gave the first hen some new eggs. She happily sat on those and hatched them all without any problems and no more suffocated chicks. Since those two episodes I no longer give a hen eggs unless there will be at least 10 days before hatch (I prefer at least 2 weeks) and we now closely listen to see when a hen begins talking to her eggs. I haven't had any more trouble with transition issues at hatch time since learning from those experiences.

 

[chickbrad24]

Sky finally hatched some :3 two so far. A Silver lace Wyandotte/cochin cross and an Easter dot (Wyandotte /easter egger) who I am not sure of color.

I love that name Easter Dot. LOL

 

[SweetEvngBreeze]

I've read so many comments about folks getting so excited and obsessed waiting on chicks. I thought yeah, yeah. It's only 21 days. But now I get it! It took me 9 months to "hatch" my kids and I don't think I was this anxious. I never realized how loooooong 3 weeks can be. I'm glad my hen is doing all the work, but part of me wishes they were in an incubator so I can watch the pip-zip. Although that would probably make it worse. I'd probably be sitting in a chair for hours watching "incubator TV."

 

[StarMeKritten]

I am glad things are looking up for you..... some hens can be a bit freaked when hatch day arrives, this is especially true for new broodies. It also (sometimes) happens when a hen is given eggs which are close to due date when she hasn't been broody for very long (especially fewer than 10 days), it can also happen when a hen is given chicks without having sat on actual hatching eggs. 

Broodies seem to go through a 'transition period from 'sitting mode' to 'hatching mode' which is usually started when the hen begins feeling more movement from her eggs and it really kicks in after internal pip when she hears them peeping.  I usually notice the hen starting to 'coo and chat' with her eggs a day or two before they are due to hatch.
  Twice when eggs were given on 'short notice' to hens of mine they had difficulty with the hatch. In one instance I was able to help the hen accept the chicks by spending a lot of time with them and intervening and distracting her when she started getting upset. It took the better part of a day but she did eventually settle and become a great mom to them for 7 weeks. The second hen smothered two newly hatched chicks before I realized that she was still trying to sit 'tight'  on the eggs and wasn't lifting up to give the chicks room.  That was the 'aha' moment for me when I realized I hadn't heard her talking to the eggs.... she just wasn't ready to transition and therefore didn't adjust.... I removed the rest of the eggs to another hen who was hatching and gave the first hen some new eggs.  She happily sat on those and hatched them all without any problems and no more suffocated chicks.  Since those two episodes I no longer give a hen eggs unless there will be at least 10 days before hatch (I prefer at least 2 weeks) and we now closely listen to see when a hen begins talking to her eggs.  I haven't had any more trouble with transition issues at hatch time since learning from those experiences.

Thank you for your response! Both hens are first time broodies. One is about 14 months old (LF mixed breed of some sort) and the other is an 8 month old LF/ bantam cross who's mother is my best and most reliable broody. The younger hen went broody first and the second followed a few days later. They were both given eggs on the same day and both sat for the full 21 days. Thankfully they are both adjusting well now but the initial movement of the eggs and chicks must have freaked them out.

 

[Sambi89]

So I broke down and looked in the broody coop again and I saw 3 ducklings. I didn't lift her up but I put my hand under and grabbed out the OEGB eggs. I candled and non were moving I did eggtopsys and only 3 were fertile and all had died at the same time. I'm guessing they were the ones that got cold when they got left behind in the great migration from one corner of the nesting box to the other. But for a first time broody I am eggstatic over her successes this far.

 

[holm25]

I couldn't find my broody this am... So I looked for a few minutes and thought. Self what r the chances she is in the coop. So I went and looked and there she was her and her babies were in the coop. Silly bugger already bringing her babies to the rest of the flock and they r only 3 days old...

 

[aart]

I couldn't find my broody this am... So I looked for a few minutes and thought. Self what r the chances she is in the coop. So I went and looked and there she was her and her babies were in the coop. Silly bugger already bringing her babies to the rest of the flock and they r only 3 days old...

Mama knows best, they'll be fine.

 

[scflock]

Mama knows best, they'll be fine.

I would have totally agreed until I saw what my cuckoo marans did to the first broodies hatch in their flock. Treated them like they were mice...
My silkies and d'uccle, I let them all rear with the flock. My LF now get a broody pen until the chicks are big enough to at least hide

 

[StarMeKritten]

One of my new moms