Broody Hen Thread!

[TiaRC]

There were 46 total eggs in 3 boxes. I removed all but 3 from each box candled out 12 and put the rest in the incubator. Pencil marked the 3 eggs in each box. Will candle the nine I left tomorrow and remove the failures and replace them with good ones from the incubator. Have had 3 hatch so far but one was dead in the house this afternoon. There are 4 hens setting these 3 boxes and there is some struggles over who is gonna be momma. The chicks seem not to care as they meander from box to box. This whole thing has been wuite an experience.

Broodys are an amazing experience lol my hens do the same thing over motherhood. I've even had hens fight over caring for chicks that never sat on the eggs lol. But usually the same 3 broodys will set next to each other and steal each others eggs lol. Makes it quite impossible to tell what eggs came from what hen. Oh well

 

[fisherlady]

I'm not even a chicken and I'm jealous of that set up! How many roosters and hens do you have? Your dog is awesome! How sweet! Would love to see more pictures!

Thank you! We have been adding to it for a while, and the limbs are free in the woods behind our place, just gotta go hunting for the ones with the right length, the birds sure do seem to love them though...
Currently we have 20 hens, 3 roosters, 5 'teenagers' at about 3 months or so (3 pullets, 2 cockerels), 5 EE chicks at 8 weeks (unknown sex yet) and another 20 chicks under 2 weeks.
Plan is to end up with about 30 hens of specific breeds and a rooster or two for each breed. We are still adjusting as we go.
The dog is an English Shepherd (Old Fashioned Farm Collie) and they are a multi-talented herding/guarding breed... and those are HER babies! Just ask her! She is featured frequently in our chicken pictures since she is always with the birds whenever she isn't in the house.
I will try to get more flock pics soon, just got off of a 24 hours shift and have to do a roaster full of meatballs and pigs in the blankets today... so will be spending the day in the kitchen... but it is rainy and dreary here, so a good way to pass the day.
,

Nice pics...thanks for showing them. I am always amazed at how tranquil your flock is with integration. My girls eventually get along, but boy there sure is some shuffling until then.
Lady of McCamley

There are minor squabbles, but honestly, I think they are just used to all of the new additions being a 'normal' thing now, so mostly it is the occasional 'move it kid!' peck and the little ones respect that...

If you have a mixed age flock, don't give any layer feed until the young ones are closer to 18 wks. The side of oyster shell should be enough for the laying hens. Calcium for chicks can be damaging to them. It is ok for everyone to eat the starter, just extra protein. Live and learn in the chicken world, lol.

I have heard this also, and follow the same guideline. I haven't gotten into the science of it, or determined just how much calcium is too much... but I have so many little ones around most of the time it is easier for us to place chick starter in the really low to the ground feeders and flock raiser in the higher feeders. Oyster shell is free choice in other dispensers. We have no problem with egg shell thickness or sick birds, so has been working for us.
We do switch back to layer if there is no one in the coop under about 14 or 15 weeks... but that doesn't happen very often.

Broodys are an amazing experience lol my hens do the same thing over motherhood. I've even had hens fight over caring for chicks that never sat on the eggs lol. But usually the same 3 broodys will set next to each other and steal each others eggs lol. Makes it quite impossible to tell what eggs came from what hen. Oh well

Yep... it is a joy to watch them all buzzing around! We play 'nest shuffle' here most nights lately... hens each settle in chosen nests... then the little ones buzz back and forth between mamas till everyone is happy with their final choices and parks it!

 

[sonderah]

If you have a mixed age flock, don't give any layer feed until the young ones are closer to 18 wks. The side of oyster shell should be enough for the laying hens. Calcium for chicks can be damaging to them. It is ok for everyone to eat the starter, just extra protein. Live and learn in the chicken world, lol.

Ok Ty!! The chicks won't eat the ouster shell though? :/

 

[fisherlady]

Ok Ty!! The chicks won't eat the ouster shell though?

Ours seem to ignore the Oyster shell dispensers.... I don't think it hurts them to have an incidental amount of calcium, just not a constant supply of it while youngsters...

 

[ladylynch]

I have 2 hand in the same nest with 7 chicks between them. They r co parenting lol. They eat together drink together and sleep in the same nest. I haven't seen or heard and squabbling so I take it as they r getting along

 

[GardenDave]

What a wonderful story and the hens words sound about right

Good luck with your hatch. I have a broody sitting on day 21/22 and she has 1 chick hatched, 1 which should be ready to zip and the other 4 nothing. I am really hoping that by this time tomorrow there is a lot more movement and hatching going on. This is her first time broodying and my first time with a broody so I guess we are learning together, I just hope the remainder hatch.

Thanks. Unfortunately my update is not entirely positive. After agreeing the terms and conditions with my broody spotted Sussex, everything went fine for a few weeks. She was doing so well and was very dedicated. It was funny to see her whilst she was out of the coop - running around stretching her legs, frantically playing and foraging as if it was her duty, before returning to her eggs. One day I went outside to check on her and noticed that my Silky had stolen one of the eggs, taken it to the next door nest box and started sitting on it. Silky has already hatched a chick before and I wanted Margaret to have the best chance of success so replaced the stolen egg to her, and for another few days everything was fine. Again I went out to check on Margaret and the eggs only to be met with catastrophe. Silky was sitting on both eggs and Margaret was found dead at the coop entrance, but facing inwards.

I have no idea what happened. Silky nor Margaret didn't show signs of a fight and there were no loose feathers in the coop or outside. Neither were there any marks on Margaret's body other than a very small featherless but also scarless mark on her chest. What really throws me is that she was facing IN, as if she had already been outside. I have no idea how long the eggs were left unattended but Silky is doing a fantastic job continuing the good work Margaret started. For the safety of Silky and the eggs I've moved them to a secure rabbit hutch with her own food and water. The eggs are due to hatch in five days so I am starting to get excited, but moreso for Silky than myself as I know she will be a good mother again. I just wish Marge would've had the chance.

 

[fisherlady]

Thanks. Unfortunately my update is not entirely positive. After agreeing the terms and conditions with my broody spotted Sussex, everything went fine for a few weeks. She was doing so well and was very dedicated. It was funny to see her whilst she was out of the coop - running around stretching her legs, frantically playing and foraging as if it was her duty, before returning to her eggs. One day I went outside to check on her and noticed that my Silky had stolen one of the eggs, taken it to the next door nest box and started sitting on it. Silky has already hatched a chick before and I wanted Margaret to have the best chance of success so replaced the stolen egg to her, and for another few days everything was fine. Again I went out to check on Margaret and the eggs only to be met with catastrophe. Silky was sitting on both eggs and Margaret was found dead at the coop entrance, but facing inwards.

I have no idea what happened. Silky nor Margaret didn't show signs of a fight and there were no loose feathers in the coop or outside. Neither were there any marks on Margaret's body other than a very small featherless but also scarless mark on her chest. What really throws me is that she was facing IN, as if she had already been outside. I have no idea how long the eggs were left unattended but Silky is doing a fantastic job continuing the good work Margaret started. For the safety of Silky and the eggs I've moved them to a secure rabbit hutch with her own food and water. The eggs are due to hatch in five days so I am starting to get excited, but moreso for Silky than myself as I know she will be a good mother again. I just wish Marge would've had the chance.

Oh... I am so sorry! Such a shame to loose Margaret!

I am glad that Silky was there to take over for you but I can only imagine how frustrating and saddening it has been for you today!

I am really hoping the eggs do well and Silky is able to raise some great youngsters for you!

 

[BLT79]

If we have a successful hatch I plan on keeping 2-3 and giving rest to a friend just starting out. How long should I keep chicks with mommas? Thanks!

 

[TiaRC]

I recommend til fully feathered. Or body feathered. They are over their critical stages and momma is teaching them some nice tricks on bugs and other goodies

 

[Lady of McCamley]

If we have a successful hatch I plan on keeping 2-3 and giving rest to a friend just starting out. How long should I keep chicks with mommas? Thanks!

It all depends upon how long you want to keep them and how much effort your friend wants to put into raising (or not raising) the chicks.

Obviously the commercial industry ships day old chicks, so as long as they have food and water, and warmth, they will survive.

Warmth is supplied by the hen or by a heat lamp. If your friend would like to raise the chicks, then she will need to set up a heat lamp brooder. If she would prefer to merely put them outside in a coop without heat lamp brooding them, then you will need to keep them until they have feathered in, usually about 4 to 6 weeks. When they are roosting beside momma and not under her, they are old enough to weather the outdoors without mom.

I like to have a hen raise the chicks as she does teach them all the ways of being a chicken and I believe they are hardier and grow faster with a hen; however, they are often less human friendly as they have had mom to bond with instead of you. If your friend wants to have very human friendly chickens, she will need to hand raise them in a brooder.

However, whether they have been heat lamp brooded or hand raised, they all learn to run to you when the treat bucket is shook, so human friendliness can be learned later. How friendly always depends upon the individual bird.

Lady of McCamley