Broody Hen Thread!

[Sonya9]

Video of my broody having breakfast with her two 1 week old bantam babies.

When she loudly announces FOOD the rooster (daddy) flies over the fence separating the broody/chick pen to steal some of the goodies being advertised.

 

[phryan]

I appreciate the feedback. Its a long enough summer to give it a number tries and makw changes until it works. Maybe a more aggressive hen will go broody next.

 

[Sonya9]

I appreciate the feedback. Its a long enough summer to give it a number tries and makw changes until it works. Maybe a more aggressive hen will go broody next.

Please realize that while trying different things is no big deal to you, it is a monumental big deal to each broody that is trying for weeks to hatch/raise chicks. It also takes a real physical toll on the hens health to sit on eggs for weeks, it is not something to take lightly if you value your hens.

 

[holm25]

I don't remember how many days you said it was there....but if it has been over 5 days I would call it a clear.

X2

 

[holm25]

Please realize that while trying different things is no big deal to you, it is a monumental big deal to each broody that is trying for weeks to hatch/raise chicks.  It also takes a real physical toll on the hens health to sit on eggs for weeks, it is not something to take lightly if you value your hens.

X2 I agree.

 

[chicksurreal]

I don't remember how many days you said it was there....but if it has been over 5 days I would call it a clear.

I'm not really sure how long it's been there. I only noticed it a couple of days ago. I put it back and am going to candle again in a few days just to be sure.

 

[chickenlickin8]

All the babies are so cute. One more week and my broody eggs will start hatching. I can't wait.

 

[sharol]

We are in the midst of a broody adventure. My two experienced broodies both decided to set on about the same day, so I got them some lovely Orpington (Lavendar, White, Chocolate) from a breeder and gave them something to hatch. That was on the last day of April. That makes the eggs due on Wednesday the 20. When I got home from graduation yesterday, there was a baby lavender under one of the girls. When I lifted Graycie (BC marans) out of the nest, the chick started yelling, and I found it under her wing. Yikes. Day 17?

I move the hens about 5 days before hatch is due to a different/smaller coop, and that was the reason I was removing her from the nest. I called my stepdaughter, and together we moved eggs, baby, and mom to the new location and moved the other broody at the same time. They are hatchmates and each raised a couple of broods last year. My avatar is Copper (Marans/BO cross) the second broody.

I checked on them between rainstorms, and the baby had fallen out of the nest box and down into a gap under the door and was damp and cold. I tucked him/her under mom and proceeded to stuff the hole with a towel for the night. We had extreme thunderstorms and rain yesterday evening, so I checked on them again about 10. All was well. Baby sleeping under mom, no more eggs hatching.

All is well today. The little one is out and about in the nest box (and darn cute -- lavenders are that lovely blue/cream color). I hope (s)he stays in there, but I think I have it fixed so that (s)he can get back in now. The question is, what about the rest of the eggs? They aren't due for 3 more days, and while her eggs hatched a little early last year (early day 20), 17 is a little extreme. I've about decided that if she abandons the eggs for her baby, I'll put them under Copper (the other broody) to hatch. I don't want to take the baby away from Graycie. She is a terrific mom, and does a way better job with babies than I can do, so that seems like the best option.

Complicating the matter is my third broody (this is out of 11 hens) who just got her eggs on Friday. It is going to be really interesting around here for a few weeks.

 

[Morrigan]

I have a question, if you don't mind me crashing your broody party.

I have a broody hen who is going into her 4th day sitting. I lifted her up today to peek under and saw that one of the eggs had broken. If was at the back and the rest of the 9 eggs didn't look like a total mess, but she was fussing so I set her back down before I could make a thorough examination.

Questions: Should take her off the nest, remove the broken egg and change her bedding? Or will she just clean it up on her own. Also, should I gently wipe down any eggs that look like they may have gotten some yolk on them? I've been going by the theory that the less I intervene the better, and that eggs in nature must get dirty all the time. But I want to give her remaining eggs the best chance possible.

Many thanks!

 

[Sonya9]

I have a question, if you don't mind me crashing your broody party.

I have a broody hen who is going into her 4th day sitting. I lifted her up today to peek under and saw that one of the eggs had broken. If was at the back and the rest of the 9 eggs didn't look like a total mess, but she was fussing so I set her back down before I could make a thorough examination.

Questions: Should take her off the nest, remove the broken egg and change her bedding? Or will she just clean it up on her own. Also, should I gently wipe down any eggs that look like they may have gotten some yolk on them? I've been going by the theory that the less I intervene the better, and that eggs in nature must get dirty all the time. But I want to give her remaining eggs the best chance possible.

Many thanks!

Definitely clean it up. She can't do it and yes it can contaminate other eggs. It can also attract ants which can be a disaster. Can you clean the nest when she takes her daily break? I wouldn't wait to long though.