Broody Hen Thread!

[GitaBooks]

Can't find Monkeybean's OP....I can't imagine locking a chicken up like in a dog crate for 21 days. Maybe they don't mind... my 2 went out for at least an hour a day, with the flock, dust bathing, roosting and eating and drinking and I guess pooping. It was harder to manage, making sure they got back on the correct nest, but we did it! No eggs died, and the Momma's really didn't seem to suffer too much weight loss at all. JMHO.

Yes, my hens love having free run. I do lock any hens up I can, simply because the other hens break their eggs. However, when I see them get off the nest I try to let them out to dust bathe and run about. My silkie only gets this a few times while broody, and she LOVES it. I don't think I've ever seen a more relieved, relaxed chicken then a dust bathing broody.

 

[GitaBooks]

So, my silkie (Princess) was sitting on 4 "bait" eggs, real eggs that I set under a hen for a day before replacing them. However, I found that the eggs I had shipped in could not be put under he because of detached air sacs. I planned on letting her hatch the four eggs, but then I got 5 day-olds and I couldn't weight 5 more days or they wouldn't bond to her. I removed her eggs and slipped the babies under her. She wasn't sure what to think for the first few minutes, but I kept tucking them back under her and she wanted to guard them from anyone who got near. Now she is in love and they just look so happy and at home. Baby chicks are much easier to tame and acquire without a momma, but they are so happy with one.
However, the other eggs couldn't be put in the incubator because I had eggs in there, so I put them under a heat light. I think I cooked them, and I feel sort of bad, as the chicks were just nearing hatching and deserved better. I hope for the best though.

 

[Monkeybean415]

Silverlacedlady- I'm sorry for your loss. I hope things go better this time around.

I decided to separate mine because our last broody we left in the nesting box and there was always chaos in there every day. We have 4 boxes for 9 hens so plenty of room to share but they insisted on using the broody's and a couple decided to make nests under my porch that I still can't get to without destroying the porch! I also had some eggs break or go missing and didn't want to deal with that again either. She's in a crate in the garage but now that she's been sitting for a couple days I'm going to open the crate with the door open so she can get outside. She didn't want to sit on them at first and I kept having to put them back underneath her. I agree there's nothing better than seeing a broody dust bathe

 

[alibabba]

Silverlacedlady- I'm sorry for your loss. I hope things go better this time around.

I decided to separate mine because our last broody we left in the nesting box and there was always chaos in there every day. We have 4 boxes for 9 hens so plenty of room to share but they insisted on using the broody's and a couple decided to make nests under my porch that I still can't get to without destroying the porch! I also had some eggs break or go missing and didn't want to deal with that again either. She's in a crate in the garage but now that she's been sitting for a couple days I'm going to open the crate with the door open so she can get outside. She didn't want to sit on them at first and I kept having to put them back underneath her. I agree there's nothing better than seeing a broody dust bathe

I think next time, I will give fake eggs. Move her to a separate pen (now that I made 2) and then see if she sticks. Then give her eggs. That way I won't have chaos either. My sweetheart had broodies that were fighting over eggs and too much extra laying broken eggs with chicks, argh and in the end he lost one hen, nearly lost another and the eggs were rotten.

I didn't have to much of that, but they did keep getting in the wrong nest, It was a daily check between 11 and 12 to make sure they were in the correct spots. it was more of a commitment to ME that I thought it should be LOL.

ETA. The "speed" dust bath... Made me want to try it it looks so dang enjoyable.

 

[SIMZ]

Yes! I know this now, thought it would be easier keeping them in attached pens. One got into the wrong pen and was killed. Next time, I will keep them separate, If possible I would just let them range with the flock that solves all problems. (I have had Marek's so I can't just leave them with the flock until 14 days)

I have a couple of groups all different ages from 6 weeks(shipped chicks) to teenagers to mommas and babies to big old hens and rooster - ranging around together, with no violence issues at all. I open all the gates in the morning and they all just head out, no fussing.

X2 - thanks to this thread! I am amazed that those hens can take care of the babies within the big flock from day 1. They have LOTS of room, which is essential, but I also have all ages ranging around together without problems.

 

[chicksurreal]

X2 - thanks to this thread! I am amazed that those hens can take care of the babies within the big flock from day 1. They have LOTS of room, which is essential, but I also have all ages ranging around together without problems.

I used to be so paranoid about letting the broodys raise their babies in the flock. I just KNEW that something bad would happen. Lol.

Now, I let them hang out together and the girls just do a great job. We have 15 week olds, 8 week olds, 4 week olds and 2 week olds running around in a 2500 sf run with the rest of the flock, mamma's doing their job perfectly.

The only one I was worried about was the sole survivor of a homicidal broody who killed the rest of her chicks as they hatched. He didn't have anyone to protect him, so I waited a bit to let him hang out with everyone else. It probably would have been fine. He's fully integrated now.

 

[svfarm]

When my hens when broody, I was worried my ducks would step on the chicks since half the chicks were from bantam mix hens. When the eggs got close to hatching I moved the hens to a hutch I had built.
A few weeks later my muscovy was getting close to hatching hers. I figured once they all hatched I would move her since the babies wouldn't be able to get down the long ramp. I came in the morning after everyone hatched and she was sitting on the floor with all seven ducklings. And none of the birds in the coop would even think of touching a baby. She will even chase her male (and he's a big boy). I think next year I can leave my broodies in the coop

 

[Thomas127]

Broody hen ruffling up feathers making growling noise

 

[Sarah4]

Well today is day 21 for the remaining 6 eggs that didn't break or explode under my hen. I peaked under her this morning to see one had started to pip! So exciting Bc I thought for sure they were all dead due to the bacteria of the exploding hen but I must have washed them off just enough to save a few of them. Now just sitting and waiting for the little babies to arrive! Can't wait. They are all a variety of English Orpington chicks. I don't have them labeled so it will be a guessing game when they hatch to figure out which is which.

 

[GitaBooks]

Well today is day 21 for the remaining 6 eggs that didn't break or explode under my hen. I peaked under her this morning to see one had started to pip! So exciting Bc I thought for sure they were all dead due to the bacteria of the exploding hen but I must have washed them off just enough to save a few of them. Now just sitting and waiting for the little babies to arrive! Can't wait. They are all a variety of English Orpington chicks. I don't have them labeled so it will be a guessing game when they hatch to figure out which is which.

Congrats! I can't wait to see the babies!