Broody Hen Thread!

[ocap]

I let my broody take care of the candling

 

[TiaRC]

I let my broody take care of the candling

X2

 

[Angelicisi]

Hmmm...my ameraucana met the chicks my EE has yesterday. This morning she laid an egg and won't give it to me! She's an angry chicken at the moment and was my sweetheart! Polar opposite of Blue my current broody. Is broodiness contagious no roo means no baby, lol if I just fight her for her daily egg (nicely!) She should give up trying to set right?

I don't have nuff layers to have another one stop laying lol but I suppose I could slip hatching eggs under her if she won't knock it off...lol for more layers

 

[Angelicisi]

Think they'll be alright in the coops over night with some cold weather coming? I'm nervous, we had 79 degrees this weekend and now overnight lows in the 30s coming. I know day temps are ok with Mama but can they dip really lower than usual and still be ok? I don't want them to freeze.

 

[Hannahs Hollow]

Is broodiness contagious

no roo means no baby, lol if I just fight her for her daily egg (nicely!) She should give up trying to set right?

I think broodiness is contagious. I am fighting a broody for her's and the rest of the flocks eggs daily. I too hope this will eventually convince her to give it up. But apparently they are the ones in charge. My job is just to supply the food. I wonder if they see me a an egg stealer....

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

My Sizzle hen with a few of her Silkie and Sizzle babies.
I have a Silkie hen sitting on 8 eggs. If they keep this up, I'll have more broodies than eggs to hatch

 

[fisherlady]

Quote:
Definitely contagious! We have 4 currently, with a couple more thinking about it but not committed yet...my experience is that they don't give up as long as they have eggs around they can snatch... though they can be 'broken' by cooling baths or cold cages. I eventually give them a few eggs to let them do their thing also... just love watching the process.

My Sizzle hen with a few of her Silkie and Sizzle babies.
I have a Silkie hen sitting on 8 eggs. If they keep this up, I'll have more broodies than eggs to hatch

They are an adorable family!

 

[kmollyhughes]

I think broodiness is contagious. I am fighting a broody for her's and the rest of the flocks eggs daily. I too hope this will eventually convince her to give it up. But apparently they are the ones in charge. My job is just to supply the food. I wonder if they see me a an egg stealer....

Contagious...ummm, yes! I had a sizzle broody...then a silkie...then another silkie...now ANOTHER sizzle. Good grief! I pulled them last night to avoid any more girls getting the mama bug. Lol. Determined little things.

 

[fisherlady]

Our broody has been bringing the babies (now 2 weeks old) into the main coop area to mix with the flock.


Mindy's fluffy tail is a favorite play and scratching spot for the babies (and often mama hen also)


one of our roosters, Gabby, loves hanging out with the babies.... he has helped raise 4 or 5 clutches this past year.


He calls he babies over to share goodies he finds... (his comb has blu-kot on it from frostbite, that is why it looks black)
Rosie with 5 of her 6 chicks lined up, Mindy is watching #6 who is busy scratching behind the baby gate area...

Once again we find the babies hanging out with Mindy, mama hen has no problem with her, so the chicks act like she is just part of the coop. We had the main door open this day while I was cleaning the coop, it was 42*F outside (though the sun was nice) and the chicks are 15 days old and running all over the place without a care in the world.

 

[Hannahs Hollow]

My Sizzle hen with a few of her Silkie and Sizzle babies.
I have a Silkie hen sitting on 8 eggs. If they keep this up, I'll have more broodies than eggs to hatch

What a beautiful hen!