Broody Hen Thread!

[ingridita]

I have an orphington hen in an enclosed place with a beautiful clutch of fertilized eggs. She was acting broody I thought. Sitting for a long time and pulling out some feathers. So I moved her to the hatching house to sit. She didn't seem to mind at all being moved. She now sits most of the time, perhaps because there is nothing else to do, but I don't know if she is actually brooding. If she is sitting but not actively brooding will she hatch the eggs? Or does she have to be biologically brooding? Will her temp be the right temp for the eggs to hatch, etc?

 

[roseyred]

I have two 3 week olds. Do you think broody momma who only has the one chick would accept two more? Or is that just asking for trouble

 

[fisherlady]

I have two 3 week olds. Do you think broody momma who only has the one chick would accept two more? Or is that just asking for trouble

It would be rare to have it work...the hen may see the older chicks as a threat to her much smaller hatchling and the chicks will probably be afraid of the big scary hen and won't cooperate with her.

 

[sharol]

I have an orphington hen in an enclosed place with a beautiful clutch of fertilized eggs. She was acting broody I thought. Sitting for a long time and pulling out some feathers. So I moved her to the hatching house to sit. She didn't seem to mind at all being moved. She now sits most of the time, perhaps because there is nothing else to do, but I don't know if she is actually brooding. If she is sitting but not actively brooding will she hatch the eggs? Or does she have to be biologically brooding? Will her temp be the right temp for the eggs to hatch, etc?

Define "most of the time." How much is she off of the nest?

 

[Attila the Hen]

Hi. I've searched for this thread but don't see what I am looking for. I need some advice. I have a hen sitting on 6 eggs. She has been on the nest for over 21 days. Several days ago one chick hatched and was dead. Looked like it had been squashed. I don't hear anything from the remaining eggs and think they may be dead or were not fertilized. How long will she sit with the eggs if they are not viable?

I was thinking I would wait a few more days and then remove them. If she insists on staying on the nest I can put a few new eggs under her but the she may be on the nest for what will be 6 weeks. That seems a terribly stressful thing for her.

I would really appreciate some input.
thank you

 

[TiaRC]

Hi. I've searched for this thread but don't see what I am looking for. I need some advice. I have a hen sitting on 6 eggs. She has been on the nest for over 21 days. Several days ago one chick hatched and was dead. Looked like it had been squashed. I don't hear anything from the remaining eggs and think they may be dead or were not fertilized. How long will she sit with the eggs if they are not viable?

I was thinking I would wait a few more days and then remove them. If she insists on staying on the nest I can put a few new eggs under her but the she may be on the nest for what will be 6 weeks. That seems a terribly stressful thing for her.

I would really appreciate some input.
thank you

She will sit as long as there are eggs there. You need to candle remaining eggs and see if they are dead or clear. Remove them if so. As for adding new eggs, absolutely not, it is very stressful and a Heath hazard to give her new eggs for another 3 weeks of sitting. Purchase some chicks and graft them to her at night if she is that desperate for chicks then she will accept them.

 

[chicksurreal]

Gran's first egg is zipping. Evening of Day 19. These are SS Hamburg eggs. So excited, I can hear the chick peeping in there!

 

[Attila the Hen]

I really appreciate your comments. I did feel it was too much to let her sit on another batch. I like the idea of getting a couple chicks for her. I will candle first although I have never had much luck with it. Would I be able to hear anything if there were babies in there? I wonder why she would continue to sit if she can't hear anything.
Again, thanks a lot.

 

[TiaRC]

I really appreciate your comments. I did feel it was too much to let her sit on another batch. I like the idea of getting a couple chicks for her. I will candle first although I have never had much luck with it. Would I be able to hear anything if there were babies in there? I wonder why she would continue to sit if she can't hear anything.
Again, thanks a lot.

If the eggs are with in a day or so from hatch yes you could hear the baby. The hen sits with the hopefully intent of something hatching, almost sad, like she's trying to change the outcome of her batch that didn't make it

 

[chicksurreal]

If the eggs are with in a day or so from hatch yes you could hear the baby. The hen sits with the hopefully intent of something hatching, almost sad, like she's trying to change the outcome of her batch that didn't make it

Agreed. I can hear the chick that's hatching right now. It's peeping loudly!