Broody Hen Thread!

[chicken farmer]

My Silkie hatched and brooded a clutch in cold February...but I live in rainy Oregon and we don't get deep snow or sub-zero temps. It was about 40 to 45 in the day and freezing at night though, so definitely much colder than the typical brooding hutch with lamps....and the chicks did fine. I was amazed at how well they thrived. They all feathered in quickly, grew fast, matured faster, and laid eggs by May/June.

I did however have an enclosed hutch for them to run in for the first month or so, and did not let them out until they were well feathered in...but I probably could have let them out sooner. It's just hard to imagine them doing that in the cold and wet, but mom seems okay with it. And like I said...it is amazing how quickly they adjust to the temps with mom. I have a batch with my Silkie now that is running in the rain at 55 degrees during the day, 45 at night....and they are doing just fine. These weren't hatched with her, just day old chicks that I am fostering with her. They amazingly adapted within a couple of days when it was warmer, and now they are running around with mom at 3 weeks in the rain like its nothing.
Lady of McCamley

Wow that's awesome to hear and thank you,I will go ahead and let her since she's wants to so bad and she is always happy plus her buff silkie rooster is always happy and calling her into the nest and loving it when she goes in there.And we will see how it goes and I will for sure post pictures of them..thanks agian!

 

[fisherlady]

My white silkie hen has had one clutch she hatched before and then after she was done with them this past summer she went broody again toward the end of August but instead of letting her be broody again i gave her a ameracauna mix chick i incubator hatched then i went and got 3 bantam mix chicks from a lady so the chick wasnt alone,so then I gave  the broody silkie hen the chicks and she tolerated them for about 4 weeks or so but then now she pecked them and doesnt want them anymore but there still little chicks and her first clutch she was a REALLY great mother but I gave her those chicks when she was only broody for about 2 days so i think she kinda knew something but anyway now she doesnt want them for some reason and started laying 5 days ago and Ive been getting her egg ever day but today i went to get it and she was sitting on it and was growling and pecking my finger so i think she was getting mad about me taking it so she just sat on it today and shes broody AGAIN and its the end of September and she wants to go broody again but I hate how its already getting cold and it will snow in about 2 months or so and getting a lot colder but I wouldn't mind if she goes broody again if she wants but I hate how its gonna get colder and way colder by the 21 days it takes....what my question is,is is it ok if I let her I heard some people say there silkie had chicks in December in the snow and they survived but I wanna hear your guys input and what you think...thanks in advance everyone!

our silkie mix hatched out a clutch in January and they were fine

 

[foreverlearning]

Y'all could have warned us a little about the broody poo. I thought when someone said it smells a little it was going to be like when people said meat birds stink and mine don't. My broody is precise, 7 am and pm she comes out for food but only uses the bathroom at pm. I thought I should check her eggs because even though I clean the area every night there was a faint rotten egg smell every time I passed the box. I made sure it was clean and watched her while she ate...then I found the cause. When she let it rip, I swear I was stuck in the rotten egg. I quickly cleaned it up and checked the eggs. The eggs were fine, that smell was from the only poo she has all day!

 

[fisherlady]

Y'all could have warned us a little about the broody poo. I thought when someone said it smells a little it was going to be like when people said meat birds stink and mine don't. My broody is precise, 7 am and pm she comes out for food but only uses the bathroom at pm. I thought I should check her eggs because even though I clean the area every night there was a faint rotten egg smell every time I passed the box. I made sure it was clean and watched her while she ate...then I found the cause. When she let it rip, I swear I was stuck in the rotten egg. I quickly cleaned it up and checked the eggs. The eggs were fine, that smell was from the only poo she has all day!

. LOL!! Sorry, but there are just some things a person has to experience for themselves to truly understand!

 

[RickaRae]

We have successfully pulled off the switch...I think...infertile eggs out, fertile JG in & they're tucked away! I'll definitely feel better after she's sat a couple of days, but she seems pretty content so far! Fingers crossed!!!

 

[sonz77]

Y'all could have warned us a little about the broody poo. I thought when someone said it smells a little it was going to be like when people said meat birds stink and mine don't. My broody is precise, 7 am and pm she comes out for food but only uses the bathroom at pm. I thought I should check her eggs because even though I clean the area every night there was a faint rotten egg smell every time I passed the box. I made sure it was clean and watched her while she ate...then I found the cause. When she let it rip, I swear I was stuck in the rotten egg. I quickly cleaned it up and checked the eggs. The eggs were fine, that smell was from the only poo she has all day!

Lol, I recently had that um, lovely, experience for the first time myself!!!! WOW, you're right it was terrible! Every morning and right after the first one hatched, she actually didn't move for the next couple poos probably because I put food and water right in front of her for baby too! So I had to clean it before it got all over!

 

[sonz77]

All 4 hatched!! Such sweet little darlings and Lexi is a good momma!

 

[canofstew]

We inadvertently let our broody hen lay too long on about 4 eggs. It's a silly story but the bottom line is that they're hatching! One chick is out and fuzzy and cute as ever. The other egg I can see has most of the shell gone but membranes still intact. She wasn't on it so my husband picked it up and it wasn't moving but definitely had a chick inside. The other two eggs we have no idea about. This is a first for us, and like I said this wasn't planned

any advice on this non shell egg would be appreciated. Also, I need to know if I should take her and new baby out to inspect the other eggs in the box. She has been separated from the rest of the flock.

 

[RickaRae]

I have my first broody hen, so I have no advice, but good luck!!!

 

[RickaRae]

All 4 hatched!! Such sweet little darlings and Lexi is a good momma!

Congrats! Adorable!!!!