Broody Hen Thread!

[kloverdarling]

I'm more than sure one of my barred rock girls has gone broody. She is sitting on 7-8 eggs. I came home from work last night and she was in a nesting box instead of on the roosts with everyone else. She has not budged. I know that they will hatch the beginning of winter here in Colorado. Wondering if I'll need to add a heat source in my coop for them once it starts getting colder?

 

[kittenz96]

I've had two broody, experienced bantam hens sitting for a little over 3 weeks but the eggs are not fertile. I tried all the tricks for breaking the broodiness but nothing deterred these two. Yesterday our store got in new babies and I had been thinking about pulling a switch so bought 4 of the bantam babies. Last night I slipped 2 in each nest, this morning checked on them and all good. Just checked again and took all the eggs, babies and moms doing great...went so smoothly. Will keep checking randomly to make sure babies are thriving and moms still accept them but have my brooder ready just in case.

 

[fisherlady]

I'm more than sure one of my barred rock girls has gone broody. She is sitting on 7-8 eggs. I came home from work last night and she was in a nesting box instead of on the roosts with everyone else. She has not budged. I know that they will hatch the beginning of winter here in Colorado. Wondering if I'll need to add a heat source in my coop for them once it starts getting colder?

My hens hatched all through last winter, temps never above teens for weeks at a time and we only needed to use a heat source to keep the water from freezing, broody took care of the chicks and they didn't seem phased at all by the temps.

 

[fisherlady]

I've had two broody, experienced bantam hens sitting for a little over 3 weeks but the eggs are not fertile. I tried all the tricks for breaking the broodiness but nothing deterred these two. Yesterday our store got in new babies and I had been thinking about pulling a switch so bought 4 of the bantam babies. Last night I slipped 2 in each nest, this morning checked on them and all good. Just checked again and took all the eggs, babies and moms doing great...went so smoothly. Will keep checking randomly to make sure babies are thriving and moms still accept them but have my brooder ready just in case.

Sounds great! Glad they are adapting well.

 

[chickistheword]

Hi all, I am hoping someone can help me. I have an Ameraucana hen that surprised me and went broody. She has 8 eggs. She claimed a spot in our nest boxes. Each day after noon time, she leaves the eggs for another nest box. The eggs are cool to the touch when I find them. We are collecting the eggs 4 times a day to avoid any temptation for her. I have tried separating her and she honestly flipped out. She almost broke all the eggs. When I find her in another nest box, I put her back with her eggs and she goes right back to sitting on them. The eggs are on day 5 right now. Yesterday I check one of the eggs and they are developing. Since she is a young, inexperienced hen, I am trying to give her a chance. I am not sure if I should rescue the eggs from her or try to give her a chance. We are not pressed for chicks, and I would love to have a good broody hen.

I have a clutch in the incubator on day 18 right now, so if you all think that rescuing her eggs from her is the best option, then I may try to sneak these chicks with her when they hatch.

What do you all think?

 

[csaylorchickens]

I am not that great with broody hens yet I am dealing.with my broody for the first time too. What I did was separate her from the rest of the flock and give her only one nest and her own space. She doesn't get off the nest at all really I have to get her out after three days of not moving. Maybe try separating her and only.give her access to one nest that way she always sits on the right nest?

Hi all, I am hoping someone can help me. I have an Ameraucana hen that surprised me and went broody. She has 8 eggs. She claimed a spot in our nest boxes. Each day after noon time, she leaves the eggs for another nest box. The eggs are cool to the touch when I find them. We are collecting the eggs 4 times a day to avoid any temptation for her. I have tried separating her and she honestly flipped out. She almost broke all the eggs. When I find her in another nest box, I put her back with her eggs and she goes right back to sitting on them. The eggs are on day 5 right now. Yesterday I check one of the eggs and they are developing. Since she is a young, inexperienced hen, I am trying to give her a chance. I am not sure if I should rescue the eggs from her or try to give her a chance. We are not pressed for chicks, and I would love to have a good broody hen. 

I have a clutch in the incubator on day 18 right now, so if you all think that rescuing her eggs from her is the best option, then I may try to sneak these chicks with her when they hatch. 

What do you all think?

 

[Manningjw]

Hi all, I am hoping someone can help me. I have an Ameraucana hen that surprised me and went broody. She has 8 eggs. She claimed a spot in our nest boxes. Each day after noon time, she leaves the eggs for another nest box. The eggs are cool to the touch when I find them. We are collecting the eggs 4 times a day to avoid any temptation for her. I have tried separating her and she honestly flipped out. She almost broke all the eggs. When I find her in another nest box, I put her back with her eggs and she goes right back to sitting on them. The eggs are on day 5 right now. Yesterday I check one of the eggs and they are developing. Since she is a young, inexperienced hen, I am trying to give her a chance. I am not sure if I should rescue the eggs from her or try to give her a chance. We are not pressed for chicks, and I would love to have a good broody hen.

I have a clutch in the incubator on day 18 right now, so if you all think that rescuing her eggs from her is the best option, then I may try to sneak these chicks with her when they hatch.

What do you all think?

What exactly do you mean but rescue the eggs? Putting them in an incubator? What I have done in the past is let a chicken sit on fake eggs and incubate others and before lock down or anytime after I know the chicken is committed to the effort I slip the eggs under her at night. Similarly, if you decide to move the hen into an area with a single nest where she cannot get back to the other hens (but should be able to see them) it is also best to do that at night when she will be the most calm.

Usually it is recommended to get hens a dedicated spot without other nests to decrease the chance of her abandoning the developing eggs for a different nest but some have been successful not doing that. One of my friend's chickens had great success leaving his broody in the normal nest boxes but he only had 2 hens at the time.

 

[kloverdarling]

This is my first round of chickens, within the first year. My flock is 7.5 months old tomorrow, and this is my first broody girl or possible broody. I am hoping so.
I guess sometime yesterday afternoon she started sitting on them.
She was on the nest still this morning.
Mid-morning today, I let the kids out to free range for a bit.
After some time she got off the nest and joined the flock. I removed 2 eggs.
Two of my EE girls laid in the nest while she was out so I believe she has 3-4 blue eggs and 3-5 browns.
I checked a bit ago and she was back on her nest. Is this normal behavior for a first timer?
Also my nesting boxes are about a foot to foot and a half off the ground, should I make her a ground level space and when is wise to move her and nest?

 

[chickistheword]

What exactly do you mean but rescue the eggs?  Putting them in an incubator?  What I have done in the past is let a chicken sit on fake eggs and incubate others and before lock down or anytime after I know the chicken is committed to the effort I slip the eggs under her at night.  Similarly, if you decide to move the hen into an area with a single nest where she cannot get back to the other hens (but should be able to see them) it is also best to do that at night when she will be the most calm. 

Usually it is recommended to get hens a dedicated spot without other nests to decrease the chance of her abandoning the developing eggs for a different nest but some have been successful not doing that.  One of my friend's chickens had great success leaving his broody in the normal nest boxes but he only had 2 hens at the time. 

I meant taking them from her and putting them in the incubator. I really wasn't sure if they will keep developing if she leaves them like that. I tried to separate her into a large dog kennel but she would have none of it.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I tried to separate her into a large dog kennel but she would have none of it.

How did you go about trying to separate her from the rest? I have separated over 60 in a little over a year without a problem.