Broody Hen Thread!

[kloverdarling]

From my experience it seems quite normal. Your success will depend on how long she leaves the nest for, and as she is a first timer - she may be leaving the nest for too long. If two hens can lay in the same nest while she is away i am assuming that she left the eggs for over an hour? if this is the case then this may well result in a non-hatch. My broody never leaves the nest for more than 30 minutes, but she is experienced in hatching eggs so whatever she decides to do, its fine by me. It may well be that she has just become broody and that her desire to brood will get stronger in a few days (i.e. she will not leave the nest for extended periods of time). If this does happen, i would suggest removing the older eggs and starting with new ones (you can save some starting from today, and put them under her later).

Then nesting box is fine, and sometimes if you decide to move a brooding hen she will stop sitting on the eggs. I have nest boxes around the same height off the ground, and my broody has been sitting for 9 days now. When the chicks hatch, i will move them to a mini-coop on the ground. I have done this successfully on 3 occasions this year already.

Good luck!

CT

She is on day 2 1/2 of being broody. She was off the nest a little this morning to eat and drink. I marked her eggs while she was doing that and she's been on the nest all day. I'm wondering if they'll hatch. I've read posts of folks saying that their girls were off the nest for hours and the eggs cooled at points and still hatched. I guess I'll candle the eggs in a few more days and see if they are developing or not. Then change them for fresh ones if needed. This is a new thing for both of us.

 

[katatonic123]

4-5 days to go!

 

[kuchchicks]

If this has already been asked, I apologize... I have never let my broodies have chicks before (not because I would not allow it, but because they never hatched any and I was able to break it). I have a Maran who has been broody for several weeks now. I have tried to break it, but she has continued to find a place to call her own. I finally got tired and just let her lay on eggs. None of them were fertile and were approaching the yucky mark. I had chicks hatch a few hours ago so I decided to place one chick under her. I only placed one because quite honestly I am afraid to do any more. I don't know what she will do or if she will be a good mom.

Tonight I went quietly into her box, removed her eggs, and then slide the new hatched chick under her. At first she pecked it once, but then fluffed up and is now laying on top of the chick. So my question is, does this mean that she accepted the chick? Is she going to know what to do now from here on out? I am super nervous and don't want to lose the chick. I know that there is some risk leaving it there as nothing is absolute but want to know if I have done everything right or should I go and remove the chick and put it in my brooder?

She is blocked off from the rest of the flock right now so they cannot get to her and she cannot get to them. HELP!!!!

 

[fisherlady]

If this has already been asked, I apologize... I have never let my broodies have chicks before (not because I would not allow it, but because they never hatched any and I was able to break it).  I have a Maran who has been broody for several weeks now.  I have tried to break it, but she has continued to find a place to call her own.  I finally got tired and just let her lay on eggs.  None of them were fertile and were approaching the yucky mark.  I had chicks hatch a few hours ago so I decided to place one chick under her.  I only placed one because quite honestly I am afraid to do any more.  I don't know what she will do or if she will be a good mom.

Tonight I went quietly into her box, removed her eggs, and then slide the new hatched chick under her.  At first she pecked it once, but then fluffed up and is now laying on top of the chick.  So my question is, does this mean that she accepted the chick?  Is she going to know what to do now from here on out?   I am super nervous and don't want to lose the chick.  I know that there is some risk leaving it there as nothing is absolute but want to know if I have done everything right or should I go and remove the chick and put it in my brooder?

She is blocked off from the rest of the flock right now so they cannot get to her and she cannot get to them.  HELP!!!!

Basically what you have done is grafting the chick...it is often done to cure the situation you found yourself in and is a frequent topic on this thread if you read back a couple of months worth of posts.

My preference is to allow a hen at least 2 or 3 chicks in case anything happens to one and also so they grow up with a sibling.

Just keep an eye on her the next day or so to make sure they are both adjusting and provide a chick safe food and water source in their area. Double check that the fencing /barrier you have up is chick proof also so it doesn't escape and then get stuck away from mama.

 

[kuchchicks]

Ok thank you!

I have a small coop I don't use anymore. Too small for my flock. Should I try moving mom and chick there tomorrow so there is no intermingling for a while? Right now they are just blocked off.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Well we were told to put an egg under her when she goes broody because when we were taking all her eggs she started laying outside the coop and would not come in the house at night.. We did not want her to get mad and move her nest again, because she is gonna end up dead if she stays out at night

I know people say and do things different----If I am not going to let her hatch chicks---I break her broodiness asap so she does not set for weeks which can affect her health. Usually when I break them---they are right back to laying eggs in a few days. But she is Yours and that is your call!!

 

[goingducks]

How do you break them I don't want to hurt he health by any means

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

How do you break them I don't want to hurt he health by any means

There are many different approaches (a quick search will give you plenty of threads to read through on the various ways) - but I prefer the "broody buster" which is simply a cage (a wire dog crate works if you don't have an actual poultry/rabbit cage). You put the bird, feed and water in the cage - no bedding - and, for best results, elevate the cage (set it up on blocks) so that air flows up underneath. The hen will not have a nice warm nest to burrow down in and the air flowing up under her provides a cooling effect. Leave her there for three days and then let her out. If she tries to go back to nest (keep in mind that she will initially run out and just be glad to be out of the cage - it's after a bit that you'll need to be aware of her moving back to the nests) you put her back in the cage for another three days. It isn't cruel - all of her needs are met and you are in no way hurting her.

 

[goingducks]

Okay I will try that next time she goes broody thank you! Do you know why they are not laying anymore they use to lay everyday to every other day now nothing

 

[PD-Riverman]

Okay I will try that next time she goes broody thank you! Do you know why they are not laying anymore they use to lay everyday to every other day now nothing

Some call it Molting----they do take a break---just keep feeding them and they will start back soon. I have close 100 laying hens and I am only getting 30 to 40 eggs a day. Most All my hens that are the same age---are taking a break----The younger ones are where the eggs are coming from right now.