Broody Hen Thread!

[phryan]

My 3rd hen went broody, unlike my first 2 attempts she is isolated from the flock, in a dog crate inside the coop. Day 10 still had 12 of 12 eggs unlike previous attempts that had lost almost half due to breakage. 1 egg was unfertile and pulled it. Expected hatch is on the 11th.

The hen is smarter than I gave her credit for, I open the door of her crate and she comes out for her break for a few minutes.

 

[song of joy]

My 3rd hen went broody, unlike my first 2 attempts she is isolated from the flock, in a dog crate inside the coop. Day 10 still had 12 of 12 eggs unlike previous attempts that had lost almost half due to breakage. 1 egg was unfertile and pulled it. Expected hatch is on the 11th.

The hen is smarter than I gave her credit for, I open the door of her crate and she comes out for her break for a few minutes.

Best of luck on the hatch. I keep my broody hens isolated from the flock during incubation, hatching, and for 4 days after the hatch. Then I let the broody integrate her chicks into the flock. It has worked great.

 

[chickistheword]

Chickistheword

What I do is get my "hatching pen" ready. A hatching pen can be many things, it needs to have a nesting area and a place the broody can get off the nest to get food and water and poop. A Large wire dog kennel will work with the nest at the back and food/water at the front. Its not good to have her food where she can reach it while sitting in the nest. The Dog kennel will have to be modified with smaller wire so the little chicks can not get through to the outside----Mama can not protect them if the go through the wire while she is still in the wire. Once the pen is ready, I make sure she is ready----what I do to have my hen ready is I have her in a nesting box that can be picked up while she is still setting on the eggs---If I have to I get this ready a day or two ahead so she has settled down to the new nest----in the original place. Once everything is ready I place food and water in my hatching pen---if you use a dog kennel you will have to place the nest in first--have the food and water setting there to put in. That night after DARK using no light I go get her---if its black dark I will flash my light on for 1 second at a time to get my bearings----I pick her/nest and all up gently and carry to the hatching pen----using no light---only a flash from my light if I need it. I place her/nest in the hatching pen and back away as quick as possible. When its breaking daylight the next morning---as she can start seeing----she will see the food and water and she will sit right there till she decides to get off the eggs to poop, eat and drink. She will realize this is her place and she is not having to share it. This year I have moved over 60 and I have never had one to go crazy and stop setting doing it this way. I do not go even close to the Hatching pen the next day----you can see at a distance her food and water is fine-----you will not have to look under her for fresh layed eggs. Works great For me!

Just wanted to say thanks for your advice. It worked perfectly!

 

[PD-Riverman]

Just wanted to say thanks for your advice. It worked perfectly!

Great---Good Luck!!!

 

[mymilliefleur]

@PD-Riverman , great advise! That's the same way I do it. I also like to fill a rubber bowl with dirt/wood ash mix so the hens can dust bathe when they get off the nest. This goes a long way to in prohibiting mites/lice that can take over while your hen is sitting. Also the hens really enjoy a nice dirt bathe when the take a break from the nest.

 

[kloverdarling]

My broody BPR, Girl(her name) has been sitting nicely on her 13 eggs and should hatch the 10-11th of this month. I made a nest for her on the floor with a Rubbermaid tub that I cut an entry way in. Was thinking about taking another tub and creating a warm spot for the chicks in it. I have a sweeter heater I can hang above it and was thinking about cutting a hole in the back to connect both tubs so that the chicks can go in and out but the other big girls can't get to them. Should I make it so mamma can get into the second tub? Will my other girls mess with the babies since they are in the same coop?

 

[kloverdarling]

Also what should I expect when they start hatching? Does momma get off the nest? I have the time off work to be home for hatch time. Do people ever have to assist hatching?

 

[sharol]

@kloverdarling I wouldn't worry about the chicks keeping warm. They get up under the mothers wings and burrow into her feathers when they are little. I've had broodies take 3 day olds out into 40 degree weather. The run around and when they get cold they go back to mom.

The nest needs to be big enough for all of them, so some of that depends on when they hatch. They won't need the heater, and it might keep mom too warm.

She may or may not get off the nest. Don't bug her too much (I know,easier said than done. My girls get tired of me fishing around under them feeling the eggs for pips sometimes).

Good luck and good hatch.

 

[fisherlady]

@kloverdarling I wouldn't worry about the chicks keeping warm. They get up under the mothers wings and burrow into her feathers when they are little. I've had broodies take 3 day olds out into 40 degree weather. The run around and when they get cold they go back to mom.

The nest needs to be big enough for all of them, so some of that depends on when they hatch. They won't need the heater, and it might keep mom too warm.

She may or may not get off the nest. Don't bug her too much (I know,easier said than done. My girls get tired of me fishing around under them feeling the eggs for pips sometimes).

Good luck and good hatch.

X2.
They won't need a heater, just a roomy nest box in a quiet area for the first couple of days, and hopefully in an area away from drafts (such as from a pop door)...we see very little of our cold weather hatch chicks for the first two or three days since mama keeps them pretty snug. I wouldn't bother mama hen from day 19 on, you don't want to chill the eggs, or even worse would be to chill newly hatched chicks.

 

[phryan]

X2.
They won't need a heater, just a roomy nest box in a quiet area for the first couple of days, and hopefully in an area away from drafts (such as from a pop door)...we see very little of our cold weather hatch chicks for the first two or three days since mama keeps them pretty snug. I wouldn't bother mama hen from day 19 on, you don't want to chill the eggs, or even worse would be to chill newly hatched chicks.

I am pretty much in the same boat when it comes to temps and expected hath date.

Right now my hen is in a dog crate inside the coop, inside that there is a cardboard box to substitute as a next box then another 4 sq ft of open area. When is it OK to open the door and allow her and the chicks out? Should I place the chick waterer or feeder in that area?