Broody Hen Thread!

[aart]

So I learned that my broody didn't want to get off the nest... last Thursday (roughly day 5) I took her off the nest. I placed her next to the food and she began eating quickly. I put water next to her and she was drinking. But the whole time she was fluffed up and very agitated. Finally got her to go outside, she was scratching and tried to take a dust bath. But the other chickens were trying to pick on her! I kinda want to let her fight them, but I also want to protect everyone... She doesn't even have chicks yet and the other chickens are picking on her, what's going to happen if she hatches chicks?

Yesterday I took her off again. it was the same thing.

Today I was happy to see she got off on her own this morning, and then returned to her eggs. Even if she doesn't have a successful hatch I feel like she's learning along the way.

On another note, the other chickens have stopped pushing in on her to lay eggs in her nesting box. I built new boxes for them and thankfully the girls like the new boxes enough to leave Lacey (broody) alone.

I candled on Saturday night (roughly day 7). In a few I saw a small dark spot that seemed to roll when I rotated the egg, like it was detached. Is that OK, or is that a dead egg? I had a few that were clearly developing, I could see veins and such, so I guess we'll see. Might go candle tonight again and pull out anything that hasn't changed.

Sounds good.

If she's a lower hen, when she comes off the nest with those chicks and they start picking on her, she will probably kick their butts, big time!!
At least that what happened with my low rank broody..... I had to break up 3 fights in the first 2 days, after that things settled dow, and broody greatly enjoyed wielding the fear factor sh'e had spread around. The chicks were never put at risk or directly attacked that I saw.

Candle again at day 10 and you will see more.....be patient and keep watching...and sniffing for possible rotters.

 

[sharol]

Quote:
Pretty bird. It sounds like they are developing. I'll tell you what everyone told me with my first broody hatch. Be as hands off as you can. The less you interfere, the better. I wouldn't candle again until at least 10 days. At that point there is a lot of dark in the eggs. Then leave them as alone as you can. (I know, I need to follow my own advice sometimes) I think I posted a link the the candle page, but here it is again: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...g-candling-pics-progression-though-incubation these are great photos that will give you an idea what to look for. Try not to handle them too much and wash your hands and completely dry them first. I use kitchen thin gloves anymore. Hand cream or grease can cause issues with the eggs. Until this year, I hadn't taken a broody off the nest by force because they all had taken a few minutes each day to take care of business and squawk around, but I had a girl this year (her second or third brood) who just wouldn't leave the nest. After 4 days, I just removed her and candled the eggs. When she felt the breeze from the pop door, she shot out the door and did all her hen things. I was concerned at first because she wasn't walking very well, but she got it back. I worried about her the whole 3 weeks. Like my DH says, how did chickens survive for all these thousands of years without me? you will do fine. Chickens are amazingly resilient.

 

[suliah]

Quote: Thanks all-- I do feel like I needed to pull her off the nest, twice, but I'm glad she did it herself today.

Hands off??? I'm trying, but it's impossible! I'm so excited. But yes, I'll wait until day 10 and then pull everything that has nothing dark in it. Then I'll keep my hands to myself

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Quote: Sitting hens usually hold their own and then some in relation to other members of their flock.

Don't monkey with a setting hen by trying to encourage her to eat or drink. Hens were hatching chicks all by their lonesome before you or I came along and they will be hatching chicks long after we have returned to dust. Keep food and water before them at all times and allow the hen to chose when she eats and drinks. She (the hen) knows how hungry and thirsty she is, not you or I.

The advise not to handle the eggs is good advise. If hatching eggs were meant to be handled every day then Mother Nature would have given hens fingers on their wing tips instead of feathers.

Any sitting hen who comes off the nest every day is not going to hatch anymore chicks for me. If they cannot sit tight for 3 days in a row then there is either something wrong with that hen or else something is wrong with my management.

If I candled any I would candle once between day 9 to 11. (with light colored eggs) and be sure you return each egg to the same exact position it originally occupied in the nest. I don't have any "scientific" proof but I believe too much handling can confuse a chick and result in mal-positioned chicks. If the chick goes into the piping stage with its head anywhere but beneath its right wing you are looking at a dead chick. If you don't care how much you harm your chicks do care about the grief that you cause the hen when her babies are stillborn.

 

[AmyP716]

Here are my two broody silkies. The first one has three Tolbunt polish that are two weeks old and the second one has three Tolbunt polish, with one egg still hatching. I think that my Tolbunt polish hen is going broody now. She hasn't left the nest box all day. Lol

[/IMG]

 

[PD-Riverman]

Thanks all-- I do feel like I needed to pull her off the nest, twice, but I'm glad she did it herself today.

Hands off??? I'm trying, but it's impossible! I'm so excited. But yes, I'll wait until day 10 and then pull everything that has nothing dark in it. Then I'll keep my hands to myself

You don't need to pull her off. She will be Fine. Personally I would candle about day 15/16(first and last time) then "I" would Not touch her/eggs again until she comes off the nest about day 22. I have set 45 hens in the last year----I provide food and water----where she will have to get off the nest to get it----never where she can get it while on the nest. Once the chicks hatch and she comes off the nest, I will add a chick waterer and some chick food-----and clean up the nest. "I" do move ALL my broodies to a private hatching pen----I got tired of my broodies getting in fights, chicks getting pecked/killed----That does not happen anymore and they usually raise the chicks they hatch-----rarely loosing one.

 

[aart]

Sitting hens usually hold their own and then some in relation to other members of their flock.

Don't monkey with a setting hen by trying to encourage her to eat or drink. Hens were hatching chicks all by their lonesome before you or I came along and they will be hatching chicks long after we have returned to dust. Keep food and water before them at all times and allow the hen to chose when she eats and drinks. She (the hen) knows how hungry and thirsty she is, not you or I.

The advise not to handle the eggs is good advise. If hatching eggs were meant to be handled every day then Mother Nature would have given hens fingers on their wing tips instead of feathers.

Any sitting hen who comes off the nest every day is not going to hatch anymore chicks for me. If they cannot sit tight for 3 days in a row then there is either something wrong with that hen or else something is wrong with my management.

If I candled any I would candle once between day 9 to 11. (with light colored eggs) and be sure you return each egg to the same exact position it originally occupied in the nest. I don't have any "scientific" proof but I believe too much handling can confuse a chick and result in mal-positioned chicks. If the chick goes into the piping stage with its head anywhere but beneath its right wing you are looking at a dead chick. If you don't care how much you harm your chicks do care about the grief that you cause the hen when her babies are stillborn.

Mine came off the nest every day until the last few days, then she sat tight until the hatch was complete.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Mine came off the nest every day until the last few days, then she sat tight until the hatch was complete.

I did not sit and watch them but I feel mine came off the nest daily too, probably only one time per day----until the last 2/3 days---then she was locked down.

 

[aart]

Quote: It was easy to tell as she was segregated, I left a smoothed snow bowl for every night for water(it was middle of winter), so I could tell by snow eaten and the gargantupoop she left that I cleared away.
Just in case someone thinks she only got snow for hydration, I gave her a portion of hot wet mash everyday she could reach from the nest.
Luckily she was getting off everyday to poop.

 

[Morrigan]

This is interesting, especially about not handling the eggs. I really, really hope I didn't screw up her hatching by cleaning up the broken, rotten egg yesterday. I tried to handle everything as little as possible, but I didn't know about trying to put the back into the exact same position they were in. I'll be so relieved if I get even one chick out the remaining 7 eggs.