Broody Hen Thread!

[bobbi-j]

My broody has been sitting on eggs (not hers) for a week now. I'm a first time mama myself (as in a nervous nellie), as is my austrolorp. I haven't seen her get off the nest in over 3 days. I haven't had a camera on her 24/7 so it is possible she's gotten off, eating and drinking and pooing, and back on and I don't know it. I'm wanting to know if a brooding hen will die from dehydration (and starvation) by not getting off the nest enough, or will she protect herself above all else and get off the nest when she needs to? Thanks for the help.

There have been posts on here about a broody hen dying while setting, but I would believe that is VERY rare. Think about it - if broodies didn't take care of themselves and died while nesting there would be no chickens in the world. Your hen is probably getting on and off the nest while you're not looking. They can tend to be secretive. Some people will kick the broody off the nest every day to eat, drink and stretch their legs. I certainly don't think that's necessary. My personal belief is to leave the broody alone and let her do her job undisturbed. Some of them will abandon the nest if they keep getting pestered.

 

[zippy722]

They can be pretty sneaky about getting out, I would check her nest to see if there is any poo in it... if she did mess in the nest then she may not have gotten up, but more likely she's just managed to do it without being seen. If you are worried about her condition then offer her a small bowl with tempting, high protein treats or change her food over the chick starter for the highter protein. With our 3 hens which are currently in different stages of their broodiness we got them off the nest every other day or so when we were out at the coop, just to make sure they were out and stretching. I honestly don't know if they would set till they die... though I imagine it would be a concern during weather extremes or if the hen's condition isn't great to begin with.

Good idea fisherlady about changing the feed. I think I'll change that out to the chick starter feed (I almost bought a bag last night

). I think I'll get her off the nest today and just check the condition of it, and after that, leave her alone. I know this mama and mother nature will manage it a lot better without my involvement. And thankfully it isn't very hot here yet.

Fix her a chick waterer and feeder next to the nest so she can get to water and food. If you aren't sure she isn't getting off.

Thanks again Jharper. I do have a small bowl of feed and water by her. Even that doesn't seem to be disturbed. Maybe changing the feed as fisherlady suggested will help as well. I am also going to put a dog crate inside the electric fence run and start preparing it in the event I need to separate her and her babies (I'm being optimistic that there will be babies!).

Thanks for the ideas. I really appreciate all of the help.

 

[zippy722]

There have been posts on here about a broody hen dying while setting, but I would believe that is VERY rare. Think about it - if broodies didn't take care of themselves and died while nesting there would be no chickens in the world. Your hen is probably getting on and off the nest while you're not looking. They can tend to be secretive. Some people will kick the broody off the nest every day to eat, drink and stretch their legs. I certainly don't think that's necessary. My personal belief is to leave the broody alone and let her do her job undisturbed. Some of them will abandon the nest if they keep getting pestered.

You're right bobbi-j. Mother Nature can take care of herself. A friend told me the same thing last night, but I needed some better guidance from the experts. Thank you.

 

[bobbi-j]

You're right bobbi-j. Mother Nature can take care of herself. A friend told me the same thing last night, but I needed some better guidance from the experts. Thank you.

You're welcome - although I wouldn't call myself an expert. It comes with learning and experience. Glad I could help ease your mind.

 

[cluck-cluck]

How's does everyone socialize their chicks that are with a broody? I have 25 in the brooder I've been handling daily and they are beginning to be pretty gentle. The five with my broody are crazy! The only way I can get my hands on them is to corral them in the coop and tackle one or two while mom and the other babies fly at my head. I've only had my hands on them a few times and its practically been a fight to the death!

This is old now, but I thought I'd answer, since I don't know if anyone else has answered If you wait until night time, and mama and babies are back in the box, you can poke around under her then, to get at the chicks and examine (under a light) and usually everyone is much calmer. Also, I'm finding that, in the morning, when my chicks are supposed to join their mama in the run, or in the evening when they can't get up the ramp, if I'm very calm and move slowly, the chicks let me pick them up without running around much. But that might be because I'm with my birds a lot and they all know me???

I have a blue laced wyandotte that is broody. Can i put day old chicks under her at night and when she wakes up with them will she claim them as her own?

If you've observed her as being solidly broody for a while, I think that would work??

So can I purchase fertile eggs and my hens will sit on them until they hatch? I'm assuming "broody" means they want to sit on eggs for babies? I'm still learning and eagerly awaiting any info I can get to make it easier to add more to my flock.

Yes, but you have to make sure they're solidly broody because if not, they could give up on your eggs, and if you bought them, well... money out the window

 

[PineTopFarm]

I have my first broody. I'm hesitant to actually make that claim as she has been setting only since Friday. I'm excited to see how this goes. She is a dark cornish but the daddy could be any of three cockerels we have. On day two I put additional eggs under her. If they hatch i'll have a hodge podge of chicks which is just fine with me.

 

[Jharper]

My RIR's eggs have started to internally pip!!!!!! They are SQ buff silkie eggs.

 

[CaCO3]

One of my ginormous humongo orps has gone broody and she sure is determined. This is my first big girl to go broody- have only relied on silkies and bantam cochins so far. I don't need any more chicks, but she sure could handle a whole bunch. Awww, why not hatch some more........? She's totally OCD ripping out her chest feathers. Silkies never do that.

 

[zippy722]

I

One of my ginormous humongo orps has gone broody and she sure is determined. This is my first big girl to go broody- have only relied on silkies and bantam cochins so far.  I don't need any more chicks, but she sure could handle a whole bunch.  Awww, why not hatch some more........?  She's totally OCD ripping out her chest feathers.  Silkies never do that.

Is ripping out of their feathers a sign of about to go broody? My australorp that is setting now, has lost her feathers below her vent (kind of between her legs) for a few months. Wasn't sure if she had always been that way and never noticed it, or if it happened recently. When I saw your comment above, the lightbulb went off.

 

[Jharper]

Just went out side and the rest of my RIR eggs have hatched. Then I noticed that my BA has been on the nest for a long time today and realized that she has gone broody. On one egg and 3 golf balls! Haha!!

Which is good because we are ordering some chicks.