Broody Hen Thread!

[Lady of McCamley]

I have a partridge Cochin bantam which just laid her first egg about 3 days ago. Today she's acting broody!
I have no interest in hatching any eggs at the moment, so my question is this: Can a hen go broody so early on like that?
I've had my birds since November. The hens should be around 9 months old and they've never laid any eggs until just a few days ago.
I believe she is the only hen that's laid. She lays super flat and is very warm in the nesting box. I moved her from the coop and she returned to the nest. Could she just be a beginner layer having a rough time at it?
Our days have been getting longer and we are still experiencing below freezing temps.
It appears that the two eggs she's laid have come in late afternoon. I'm going to check on her in a little bit to see if she's been successful.

Yes, she could be going broody. Cochins are known as being an "annoyingly frequent" brooder.

If she's mature enough to lay eggs, she's physically mature enough to brood.

Lady of McCamley

 

[foreverlearning]

I have a partridge Cochin bantam which just laid her first egg about 3 days ago. Today she's acting broody!
I have no interest in hatching any eggs at the moment, so my question is this: Can a hen go broody so early on like that?
I've had my birds since November. The hens should be around 9 months old and they've never laid any eggs until just a few days ago.
I believe she is the only hen that's laid. She lays super flat and is very warm in the nesting box. I moved her from the coop and she returned to the nest. Could she just be a beginner layer having a rough time at it?
Our days have been getting longer and we are still experiencing below freezing temps.
It appears that the two eggs she's laid have come in late afternoon. I'm going to check on her in a little bit to see if she's been successful.

I had a broody that only ever gave me 4 eggs. She laid her first 4 then went broody. Every time she would finish raising chicks (2 1/2 - 3 months) she would go broody on me again with the others eggs. She was the best mother and mothered longer then any other. Unfortunately she was taken by a hawk protecting her last set of chicks. Wish I still had her!

 

[Chicken-Man]

I have a broody hen question.

I have 10 girls of various breeds of which I would like to hatch eggs from my 2 EEGs girls. (my roo is also an EEGr). One of my girls will start to sit (most often my Buff Orp, or one of the Cucoo Maran's and then eventually (even after 4 hours) she will get up and then I will see someone else in the nest. Last weekend this happened for 3 days, then one climbed off and roosted and no one took over, it was cold, so I just collected the eggs. Cracked them open later and there were big blood spots....

They are 11 months ish old. They seem to love to sit, but never stay. They typically lay in a orange plastic tub (seems to be the fav spot). When 1 starts to sit, should I move the whole thing and isolate it? Would that help her stay?

IS there anything I can do to encourage one to stay? I so want some EEGr baby's.

~~u could try trapping them in a brooder with water and food, and let them out for 30 mins or so, so then she doesn't get really fat and get cabin fever then put her back in by hand, or (more expensive) you could buy an incubator. But just get a larg(ish) box with lots of hay or what ever u use and u could also put some fake eggs in there too. I plead u good luck, tell me how it all goes, and send some baby pics when they arrive and

!!!!!

 

[zinkie]

Thanks. I think that I will remove them to somewhere else once one starts to sit again. So just a large box , hmmm. That's a good idea.

 

[chickencrazy999]

I have decided to wait on my broody miniature silkie until spring ( March 20 and onwards) She went broody on me on Friday evening and I can now definitely confirm that she is broody I had to try and break her but failed as I am not aloud to hatch chicks until spring my question is will she last broody until march or will she be likely to give up? Every morning I get u and take her out the nest to eat and drink and have a peck round the garden for about 15 mins then she will run back to her empty nest also every morning she some how gets and egg from a nest box across the other side of the coop Mhmmm.... Wonder what happens in that coop when I'm not there Lol any way I am planning on keeping her broody until then she has all ready plucked her Chest and I am feeling sorry for her as she just wants babies but I have to stay tough and wait ( I am very impatient as you can see ) Thanks

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I have decided to wait on my broody miniature silkie until spring ( March 20 and onwards) She went broody on me on Friday evening and I can now definitely confirm that she is broody I had to try and break her but failed as I am not aloud to hatch chicks until spring my question is will she last broody until march or will she be likely to give up? Every morning I get u and take her out the nest to eat and drink and have a peck round the garden for about 15 mins then she will run back to her empty nest also every morning she some how gets and egg from a nest box across the other side of the coop Mhmmm.... Wonder what happens in that coop when I'm not there Lol any way I am planning on keeping her broody until then she has all ready plucked her Chest and I am feeling sorry for her as she just wants babies but I have to stay tough and wait ( I am very impatient as you can see ) Thanks

That would be about 5 1/2 to 6 weeks of brooding before you put eggs under her, which anticipates her total brood to about 8 to 9 weeks. That's a long time, and chances are she will quit before then. If she doesn't, she risks running her body down and I personally would not try to use a hen that way.

Why is March 20 special? Is there anyway you can put eggs under her in a week, maybe 2 weeks? She should still be very content to finish them out as she would still be within the average brood time (3 to 5 weeks), and it wouldn't be so hard on her if she is the type to brood until something hatches.


Definitely do nothing to discourage her brood now if you ever want her to hatch chicks later. You may prevent her from becoming a good brooder.

My thoughts,
Lady of McCamley

 

[chickencrazy999]

That would be about 5 1/2 to 6 weeks of brooding before you put eggs under her, which anticipates her total brood to about 8 to 9 weeks. That's a long time, and chances are she will quit before then. If she doesn't, she risks running her body down and I personally would not try to use a hen that way.

Why is March 20 special? Is there anyway you can put eggs under her in a week, maybe 2 weeks? She should still be very content to finish them out as she would still be within the average brood time (3 to 5 weeks), and it wouldn't be so hard on her if she is the type to brood until something hatches.


Definitely do nothing to discourage her brood now if you ever want her to hatch chicks later. You may prevent her from becoming a good brooder.

My thoughts,
Lady of McCamley

Hiya I have put her in a broody buster this morning as she is refusing to come out to eat and drink and I am getting quite worried I reckon she will go broody again as she is a silkie Thanks

 

[chickencrazy999]

Dear Lady of McCamley I Have decided to move the date to the 5 of march as trying to break her failed I put her in this morning and I came back just now and she is broody on the metal wire and has plucked some more chest feathers of her self do you think 3 weeks and 2 days will. Be ok I will be taking her out to eat and drink everyday also shutting her out so she can get some exercise also I did feel a bit sorry for her when I had to put her in the cage and she was so excited when I bought her back to the coop she ran to her fave nest and settled down and also you were right If I was to break her now she may never try to go broody again or if she does she may be a bad Mama Thanks for your advice Cc999

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Dear Lady of McCamley I Have decided to move the date to the 5 of march as trying to break her failed I put her in this morning and I came back just now and she is broody on the metal wire and has plucked some more chest feathers of her self do you think 3 weeks and 2 days will. Be ok I will be taking her out to eat and drink everyday also shutting her out so she can get some exercise also I did feel a bit sorry for her when I had to put her in the cage and she was so excited when I bought her back to the coop she ran to her fave nest and settled down and also you were right If I was to break her now she may never try to go broody again or if she does she may be a bad Mama Thanks for your advice Cc999

Broody hens get up to eat, drink and exercise once a day. You don't need to do that for them. They are very capable of brooding and staying healthy as long as you provide access to their needs. You will likely not see her get up is all, so it looks like she is always sitting...but that is what broodies do...incubate eggs keeping the temperature constant...that requires a lot of sitting. It is nature's way. To help my broodies, espeically if they have been on an extended brood, I like to put Vitamins and Electrolytes in the water (like "Save A Chick") and switch them to a high protein feed (like unmedicated Chick Starter or Flock Raiser at 20% protein). This helps them keep their reserves up. I also add yogurt or ACV, some nummy treats (high protein), close by. I essentially reward them for doing a very valuable service for me.

Therefore, in your situation, I would recommend putting her in a nice nest with food and water accessible (but not so it can tip into the nest), make sure she is protected from others, has room to stretch her legs when SHE feels like it, and let nature take its course. If she is still sitting nicely when you have fertile eggs, then put them under her.

I believe that the more you intervene now, the more likely you will upset your bird and possibly interfere with natural processes....especially if you want her to brood for you faithfully. You may not prevent her from brooding, but you can definitely interrupt her body cycle enough to where she does not sit continuously as she should once she gets those eggs. You are essentially discouraging that by picking her up and locking her out.

As to your 3 weeks and 2 days question...I can't tell you with certainty if she will brood beyond that or not. Each bird is unique. I can only relate my experiences and my understanding of broodies. Those that are diligently broody (typically your faithful type Silkies) will brood until they hatch chicks however long that takes (The average time is about 5 weeks, but it can be longer or shorter). I have had one of my faithful broodies go into a brood and was not able to put eggs under until about 2, maybe 3 weeks, maybe even later...I hadn't had access to fertile eggs and was hoping she would naturally be done as I was busy with other things, but she tarried in her brood until she finally convinced me she wanted to be a mother no matter what my schedule said. She sat and hatched 3 out of 5 eggs for me (2 were infertile), and mothered them well.

So if she is a typical very broody Silkie, it is likely she will complete the process until she gets chicks, especially as she feels the chicks growing and hears the chicks moving in the eggs.

And if you let her have her natural way, she will likely become a faithful broody for you such that you can count on her to brood when you need her...taking in mind her schedule more than yours as you adjust to nature's timing. And that is a good thing...because when you let them go about their business, they become such faithful brooders that you can use them to save eggs another hen has abandoned, and you can put foster chicks under them at a moment's notice. I treat my broodies like the queens they are, and it pays off.

Good Luck with your flock
Lady of McCamley

Edited for spelling errors for clarity.

 

[chickencrazy999]

Broody hens get up to eat, drink and exercise once a day. You don't need to do that for them. They are very capable of brooding and staying healthy as long as you provide access to their needs. You will likely not see her get up is all, so it looks like she is always sitting...but that is what broodies do...incubate eggs keeping the temperature constant...that requires a lot of sitting. It is nature's way. To help my broodies, espeically if they have been on an extended brood, I like to put Vitamins and Electrolytes in the water (like "Save A Chick") and switch them to a high protein feed (like unmedicated Chick Starter or Flock Raiser at 20% protein). This helps them keep their reserves up. I also add yogurt or ACV, some nummy treats (high protein), close by. I essentially reward them for doing a very valuable service for me.

Therefore, in your situation, I would recommend putting her in a nice nest with food and water accessible (but not so it can tip into the nest), make sure she is protected from others, has room to stretch her legs when SHE feels like it, and let nature take its course. If she is still sitting nicely when you have fertile eggs, then put them under her.

I believe that the more you intervene now, the more likely you will upset your bird and possibly interfere with natural processes....especially if you want her to brood for you faithfully. You may not prevent her from brooding, but you can definitely interrupt her body cycle enough to where she does not sit continuously as she should once she gets those eggs. You are essentially discouraging that by picking her up and locking her out.

As to your 3 weeks and 2 days question...I can't tell you with certainty if she will brood beyond that or not. Each bird is unique. I can only relate my experiences and my understanding of broodies. Those that are diligently broody (typically your faithful type Silkies) will brood until they hatch chicks however long that takes (The average time is about 5 weeks, but it can be longer or shorter). I have had one of my faithful broodies go into a brood and was not able to put eggs under until about 2, maybe 3 weeks, maybe even later...I hadn't had access to fertile eggs and was hoping she would naturally be done as I was busy with other things, but she tarried in her brood until she finally convinced me she wanted to be a mother no matter what my schedule said. She sat and hatched 3 out of 5 eggs for me (2 were infertile), and mothered them well.

So if she is a typical very broody Silkie, it is likely she will complete the process until she gets chicks, especially as she feels the chicks growing and hears the chicks moving in the eggs.

And if you let her have her natural way, she will likely become a faithful broody for you such that you can count on her to brood when you need her...taking in mind her schedule more than yours as you adjust to nature's timing.  And that is a good thing...because when you let them go about their business, they become such faithful brooders that you can use them to save eggs another hen has abandoned, and you can put foster chicks under them at a moment's notice. I treat my broodies like the queens they are, and it pays off.

Good Luck with your flock
Lady of McCamley

Edited for spelling errors for clarity.

. Ok thanks so much for your advice