Broody Hen Thread!

[Mandyj0458]

I picked it up & listened to it. Is that what killed it? Should I have left it alone?

 

[PD-Riverman]

I picked it up & listened to it. Is that what killed it? Should I have left it alone?

Can not Say that----all I can say is "I" would have not done that. I never Touch the eggs or the hen the last 3 days----I set 47 hens in the last year----virtually every egg that was fertile hatched. A couple or 3 got stepped on broke-----Some will say it does not matter-----all I can say is "IT" matters to me----I go by what works best for me and my location!!

 

[casey197530]

Can not Say that----all I can say is "I" would have not done that. I never Touch the eggs or the hen the last 3 days----I set 47 hens in the last year----virtually every egg that was fertile hatched. A couple or 3 got stepped on broke-----Some will say it does not matter-----all I can say is "IT" matters to me----I go by what works best for me and my location!!

The first time my silkie hatched and egg we thought we would just give her one because she was broody we didn't know was fertile and we pick The egg up and moved it every single day to clean the poop out of where she was sitting and it hatched like a charm so I doubt that's what did it

 

[SIMZ]

We just had quite a storm with LOTS of hail. I left the hens deal with their chicks because I figured it would go better than me chasing them around and scattering them during a storm. Well, I found my hen with the young chicks. She was out in the open, huddled into a corner, with hail laying all around her. She's soaking wet, but those chicks are all dry. I felt so bad.... she must not have been able to get them all under something fast enough. Yet, she was enough.

 

[TXchickenchick]

We just had quite a storm with LOTS of hail.  I left the hens deal with their chicks because I figured it would go better than me chasing them around and scattering them during a storm.  Well, I found my hen with the young chicks.  She was out in the open, huddled into a corner, with hail laying all around her.  She's soaking wet, but those chicks are all dry.  I felt so bad.... she must not have been able to get them all under something fast enough.  Yet, she was enough.

Poor little girl. I had the exact same thing happen (though just torrential downpour minus the hail) and like you, figured I would cause more harm than good. Her babies weren't even damp though she was completely soaked. Aren't momma hens the most amazing creatures ever!

 

[roseyred]

Teaching little one how to roost!!!! never experienced broody hens with there chicks before. the chicks are so not people friendly. this little guy or gal is a cuckoo mixed with a wyandotte. can tell cause it has those orange feets. and GOOD GOODNESS the little ones can fly!! like a good 20 foot span 2 feet from the ground in one go lmao.

 

[PD-Riverman]

The first time my silkie hatched and egg we thought we would just give her one because she was broody we didn't know was fertile and we pick The egg up and moved it every single day to clean the poop out of where she was sitting and it hatched like a charm so I doubt that's what did it

Like I said---"some will say it doesn't matter", I can not say it affected hers any---I do not know-----I just know for a fact it matters here----where I live---so when I give advise---I try to let the person know how doing this or that affects me in my location----Might affect them the same way----might not-----like it did not affect your hatch. Things/places/chickens are different----example---I set 47 hens in the last year and I can not recall One hen that pooped in her nest----not one----never had to clean up a nest. So I could say where I live hens do not poop in their nest-----where you live yours poop in it every day---wonder why?

 

[karenerwin]

Hello folks...

So my first experience with a broody isn't turning out quite like I planned...

Checked on her last Thursday, she was doing fine, eggs were fine (though I think she was down 1, down to 11).


Went out of town for the weekend. Checked sunday night.

2 eggs left. I found parts of a shell from 1 (it still had the veining in it, i about cried)...

The 2 seem alive, but we still have another week to go!

So I'm torn! I really want to see her hatch some, or at least see how she is with chicks. Soooo... do i: 

1. wait a week to see what hatches, buy some chicks, and let her do her thing  with her surro-chicks

2. throw another dozen eggs under her now, that way if her 2 don't hatch she's a week into a new batch and let her try to hatch her own (but that'll mean 5 weeks on a nest)

My situation is that I have a brooder, but no incubator. I can handle new chicks, but I can't incubate eggs. Not that it matters, she didn't abandon them, looks like the nest got attacked. 


I was trying to let her do her thing in the main coop. This afternoon I'm moving her to her own space, keeping the others away. I'm pretty sure my male duck was involved in the massacre, since everything was just gone in the nest and all of my chickens were fine. I'm heartbroken over those 10 eggs...

Let me start by saying that I have never had a broody hen,however it seems to me that you should leave the 2 eggs & let her try to hatch them. If nothing hatches then I would go buy a couple of day old chicks & slip them under her.

 

[alibabba]

We just had quite a storm with LOTS of hail. I left the hens deal with their chicks because I figured it would go better than me chasing them around and scattering them during a storm. Well, I found my hen with the young chicks. She was out in the open, huddled into a corner, with hail laying all around her. She's soaking wet, but those chicks are all dry. I felt so bad.... she must not have been able to get them all under something fast enough. Yet, she was enough.

Ohhh, lovely little girl! What a good momma!

 

[alibabba]

We don't get too many first times in life it seems. But this is my first broody! So hard. She has been trying for a couple weeks to "go broody". Fluffing, extra sitting...

So. Here were are on what should be day 6.

I took my flashlight and blanket (for over my head of course!) to the coop today while she was out.

She is about a 21 oz bantam. Sitting on 5 LF, 4 bantam eggs.

I think there are 6 out of 9 fertile and developing! Wow!!! They are blue green eggs, cream and one light brown so I'm going to check again, maybe day 10. (Yeah right, I have Zero self control!! but I don't want to disturb her. So I will wait til she's out.) It's possible that the weird floating blobs could be developing, a day behind... hoping... I think there was one completely clear. Yolker?

We will be delighted if 6 hatch

ETA...I put a check mark on the eggs I thought were good. Seemed the very officious and professional thing to do. I had to do something...