Broody Hen Thread!

[chicken farmer]

Thank you. I was thinking about putting her and the nest in in brooder that I used for the 50 meat chicks at least until they hatch but don't want to stress her out. I don't know if it is the same for a broody hen but my regular ones don't like to be isolated. She was the favorite of my rooster and now he seems depressed that she isn't in the yard with him all day. The first time she got off the nest she ran up under his wing for a sec, then ate more and faster than I have ever seen her do before, pooped, and hopped back on the nest. She won't leave for long, but I did see 3 hens piled on top of her today to try to lay an egg. She had to pick the most popular nest box, right??? I have another one that tried to stay in there with her for over an hour and had to remove her twice after laying an egg before she stopped. The one I removed is a not so nice RIR that I will refuse to let go broody.

One more question: The layer feed is mounted on the wall of the coop with the feed height about a foot and a half off of the ground. Will this be high enough to keep the chicks out of it until they can eat it? If not, I can always alter it and I do have a 10'X10' tractor that I can have mom and chicks in until they are old enough. I prefer not to use the tractor for long as I do free range and I usually use it as a grow out pen for ones I brooded myself.

Thank you again.

The brooder seems fine to me and if she is committed to being broody the rooster and her will be fine seperate if that's what you choose and about the feeder of layer,even if the chicks can't reach it you still need it out because the chicks will be chirping hunger and the hen will go to the layer feed and pick it up and drop it in front of the chicks until they are full so you don't want in in there because she will be a good mommy and feed her chicks and that will be layer which can kill the chicks so chick feed all the way!

 

[foreverlearning]

The brooder seems fine to me and if she is committed to being broody the rooster and her will be fine seperate if that's what you choose and about the feeder of layer,even if the chicks can't reach it you still need it out because the chicks will be chirping hunger and the hen will go to the layer feed and pick it up and drop it in front of the chicks until they are full so you don't want in in there because she will be a good mommy and feed her chicks and that will be layer which can kill the chicks so chick feed all the way!

I didn't think about it that way. Yes, in my book that would be a good mother so layer feed will be completely removed from her access. I believe she is determined. Last time she popped out for a bite someone else hopped on her nest and she raised cane and got them out of there. I have noticed she won't even attempt to eat if she can't see the nest from the feed so I turned the box so she can see both feed and water.

 

[chicken farmer]

Quote:
Sounds like your doing everything good and right so far and I hope she stays on that nest for you!

 

[Silkielover16]

Hello everyone I have question! At the moment I have 2 hens they are BLRW. This form got me thinking if one of my hens got broody and I put fertile eggs under her would I have to separate her from the other hen or can they stay together. If I had to separate them would the hen get lonely?? Thanks for the help!

 

[chicken farmer]

Hello everyone I have question! At the moment I have 2 hens they are BLRW. This form got me thinking if one of my hens got broody and I put fertile eggs under her would I have to separate her from the other hen or can they stay together. If I had to separate them would the hen get lonely?? Thanks for the help!

I've had 2 hatches so far and the rest of the flock leave them alone because they know momma hen is on guard and I think the other hen wouldn't mind but you can watch them when they hatch and go from there and see what you think and if you do seperate the other hen can get lonely but you can do it where they can see eachother or get her a buddy,a good idea would get a rooster for them they would probably like it

 

[Silkielover16]

Thanks for the advice i am unable to get a rooster due to my location but i would love to have one! i think it depends on the which hen gets broody the one lower on the pecking order will probably not defend her chicks if the hen decides she does not like them! thanks

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Hello everyone I have question! At the moment I have 2 hens they are BLRW. This form got me thinking if one of my hens got broody and I put fertile eggs under her would I have to separate her from the other hen or can they stay together. If I had to separate them would the hen get lonely?? Thanks for the help!

Thanks for the advice i am unable to get a rooster due to my location but i would love to have one! i think it depends on the which hen gets broody the one lower on the pecking order will probably not defend her chicks if the hen decides she does not like them! thanks

You are right to be concerned about the least dominant hen. How peaceful they co-exist often changes when one goes broody and the other isn't, or if they both go broody...which often happens as the idea can be contagious to the other.

I have had 2 sisters co-exist peacefully but get very testy with each other during brooding, constantly trying to steal each others eggs. This can literally create an unsuccessful hatch rate as the eggs are stolen back and forth and then kicked out or stepped on....or more often the less dominant hen will abandon her nest leaving eggs exposed.

Try it, but watch from the very moment the brood starts to see if the other is causing a problem and keep watching. Dynamics can change quite suddenly with all those hormones.

I find it is generally better to have one hen per nest on her eggs separate from others. Ditto for hens brooding baby chicks....but I have different flock dynamics than you do...it could work with such a small flock of 2....just watch and be ready with Plan B from the moment you put eggs under the broody.

Lady of McCamley

 

[OneCrazyCowgirl]

Do y'all have any tips on how to get a hen to be broody? Is there anything I can do to encourage her to be broody? I want to hatch out some serama chicks but I don't have an incubator and love broodies to raise chicks

 

[foreverlearning]

Do y'all have any tips on how to get a hen to be broody? Is there anything I can do to encourage her to be broody? I want to hatch out some serama chicks but I don't have an incubator and love broodies to raise chicks

The only thing I could think of is to leave eggs in a nest box for a known to be broody breed. It's like trying to get someone to decide to be pregnant, it is more likely they would want to have a kid if they see them often but by no means a guarantee that they would want to.

 

[sweetmsmisty98]

I am so excited! My broody hen should be a new mamma tomorrow! Blue baby silkies