Broody Hen Thread!

[cheeka]

I just found this thread... sorry that it's so pic heavy... but she's done so much in just 5 months since she turned broody!
this is Peach, my Super Broody bantam Cochin x EE. she laid her first egg at 8 months. 7 eggs later and she turned broody. this is her first hatch, hatched early March, she was brooding most of the winter...I finally caved in in February and gave her 3 eggs. 1 hatched.
a little BR x EE roo named Pebble

then she hatched some eggs for a friend...



but my friend came and collected her chicks before Peach was ready to see them go... she Pined... for days, so I got her some more! they were a lot bigger and not the same breed at all... made no difference to Super Mom! she was so happy!

then she sat again... but by day 25 and no chicks... I went to my local "hatchaholic" - I say this with love... she has gorgeous birds... and picked up some just in case... then, of course... one hatched! these little Marans chicks are different birds from the one's pictured above with the white EE, they are now 12 weeks old.











in another 6-7 weeks, she will start laying again. but she will only lay 7-9 eggs, beautiful and small, with a green shell... and then she will sit again. doesn't matter if it's winter, she was made for this!

 

[chickenboy190]

What breed of chickens are you working with? Just curious. I hope it works out too! This is my first experience with a hen that actually went broody and I am super excited

They are White rock but I'm not a 100% sure.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

They are White rock but I'm not a 100% sure.

That is not a breed that is known to go broody often, so it may be difficult to impossible to get her in the mood unless she just happens to have gotten the broody type genes. If she is a mix, chances are you may get lucky as mutts often are good broodies (having gotten back those deselected genes).

Try the tips I suggested and see what happens. Who knows, she might be sort of in the mind and you convince her its a great idea. Or, she'll think the whole thing is nuts and squawk to be back among the yard life again.

I agree with a prior poster that if you really want to brood chicks from eggs, or foster day old chicks, get a known brooding hen.

I really, really, wanted to brood some chicks from eggs, so I connected to a local chicken swap (found it through local swaps forum here on BYC) and purchased a 3 year old Silkie hen that was a frequent brooder and proven momma. She has hatched and brooded 2 sets for me already.

Some breeds are far more frequent (Silkie and Cochin are the more common), but it does boil down to the actual hen herself, so I would purchase a known brooder. (Be sure to isolate her properly from your other hens in case she has any undetected diseases or pests.). I've had Black Stars be good brooders, and I've just finished a clutch with a Welsummer/Rhode Island Red mix. But I just lucked out that they were broody types and I put eggs under them when they went broody. My Silkie, I can count on going broody and can actually prompt her into the mood she is so prone to doing so.

Good luck.
Lady of McCamley

 

[crowinncluckn]

Quote:
When and how do you introduce your babies to the older chickens?

 

[cheeka]

crowinncluckn, Peach introduces the chicks. right now, in the broody pen, her 12 week old pullets are still living in there - they are actually getting moved to the big girl dome this evening to make room...
During free range, the older chicks do leave the pen, so Peach allows her small chicks to roam the pen, and after a couple of days, will bring them to the doorway and allow them to have a few feet outside. She's strict. it's only a few feet, anyone who tries to be bold gets "spanked" and is brought back INside. She doesn't allow the flock near and now that she's had so many hatches, the flock understands her behavior. she's a banty, and the rest of my adult flock are LF. She is super tough and can stand up against every one of them! so far, so good... none of my LF hens have seriously gone after any of her chicks. by the time they are a week old, she has them out and about, but she does keep them near good hiding places just in case. I have photos that I can dig out later showing chicks of varying ages happily foraging among the LF with no problems.

Tonight, I will learn more, the 3 - 12 week old pullets do not mix much (on their own) with the flock and moving them into the dome will force that issue. They did mix all the time until their Mama returned the nest... they are so attached to her, but they did a great job protecting her during free range while their pen door was open (to let them out) since the door was open, some LF would come on in... they would dash back and block Mama from pestiferous hens....and since there are 3 of them it will spread out any abuse... however, my flock is fairly gentle - I wouldn't call it luck... I wouldn't keep a mean bird. but it is sort of lucky... I introduced 4 very small bantam cockerels a few weeks ago and the big girls didn't care at all. they are allowed to roost, eat, drink... hang out... the pullets are much larger. I think it will be okay.

so ramble ramble ramble... bottom line, Peach does it all. even the introduction to the flock. love that bird!

 

[Gen9]

Wow Peach is such a great mama! I hope my pullet turns out like her!

 

[cheeka]

thanks Gen9, I think she's amazing... and since she only lays about 60-75 eggs a year, she should continue to lay well into later years... she comes from private stock, a fellow byc'er was kind enough to include her in a package deal when I drove down to get a rooster. She can easily cover 5 LF eggs, and 8-9 good sized bantam eggs. I now have several gorgeous bantam cockerels... a little reverse harem for her, so next Spring she will be able to hatch her own eggs, something I've wanted for her since the very beginning, but all my boys are way too large for her, even my smallest LF roo hurt her, slashed her skin... she healed perfectly... but I was like

 

[chickenboy190]

That is not a breed that is known to go broody often, so it may be difficult to impossible to get her in the mood unless she just happens to have gotten the broody type genes. If she is a mix, chances are you may get lucky as mutts often are good broodies (having gotten back those deselected genes).

Try the tips I suggested and see what happens. Who knows, she might be sort of in the mind and you convince her its a great idea. Or, she'll think the whole thing is nuts and squawk to be back among the yard life again.

I agree with a prior poster that if you really want to brood chicks from eggs, or foster day old chicks, get a known brooding hen.

I really, really, wanted to brood some chicks from eggs, so I connected to a local chicken swap (found it through local swaps forum here on BYC) and purchased a 3 year old Silkie hen that was a frequent brooder and proven momma. She has hatched and brooded 2 sets for me already.

Some breeds are far more frequent (Silkie and Cochin are the more common), but it does boil down to the actual hen herself, so I would purchase a known brooder. (Be sure to isolate her properly from your other hens in case she has any undetected diseases or pests.). I've had Black Stars be good brooders, and I've just finished a clutch with a Welsummer/Rhode Island Red mix. But I just lucked out that they were broody types and I put eggs under them when they went broody. My Silkie, I can count on going broody and can actually prompt her into the mood she is so prone to doing so.

Good luck.
Lady of McCamley

Thanks a lot for your help.

I'm also getting some silkies.

Wish me luck.

 

[julie0477]

Thanks a lot for your help.

I'm also getting some silkies.

Wish me luck.

You should be in business with your silkies. So much fun. I'm excited for you!

 

[jammyjammy2112]

i just went to check my broody silkie the its day 18 today and one of the eggs exploded (the worst smell i have ever smelt in my entire life) what are the chances of any eggs hatching now she had most of it cleaned up i didnt wash the eggs becouse i herd its bad it just goes into the egg i didnt candel the eggs this time for some reson so what are the chances any will hatch

plz somebody reply its day 18