Broody Hen Thread!

[ChickyChickens]

I have been blessed with an abundance of broodies this year in particular.... have a couple of short videos of them in the coop run and out and about
My flock is mixed and our broodies are in with the flock usually within 3 days of hatch, so you will see a lot of youngsters mixed in.
I tried to share a bit of info in the videos, but if any questions feel free to ask.

I love your roo named flex!!! He is sooo beautiful!

 

[Junibutt]

Here is the first (hopefully not the only) chick that hatched Tuesday night. You can see she is loving pecking on her mama's wattles

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I tried but could not get her off the nest. It doesn't smell like Sulfur or Methane anymore, just a dead animal smell. I am leaving her alone for now but once she gets off the nest and the hatch is complete, shall I give the baby chicks a bath to prevent any infections or only treat if they become sick?

I would first try to assess what made the smell. If it looks like a really putrid mess that the babies were wallowing in, then a clean up might be warranted; however, I doubt that is the case. One bad egg can really make a smelly mess but mom usually does an outstanding job of cleaning it up.

If for some reason it was a dead and putrid chick that the babies were exposed to while hatching, you have two options depending upon your philosophy of chicken husbandry.

You could put some antibiotics like tetracyline (Duramycin 10) or a sulpha drug like Sulmet (used for coccidia but also treats a lot of gram negative bacterial infections) in the water as a preventative if you felt there was real risk of putrid exposure.

Otherwise, just clean things up once all have hatched and watch for any signs of illness or failure to thrive. Antibiotics would be my first choice at any hint of illness that comes on shortly after hatching due to the circumstances. Bacterial exposure at hatch is a number one cause of chick illness and death...but I am amazed at how the little chicks overall not only survive but thrive in often less than ideally sanitary conditions with eggs rotting during the process. (Obviously keep clean coops as a matter of course, but egg spoilage is part of the territory of egg hatching.)

My thoughts.
Lady of McCamley

 

[abserbean]

My baby roo thinks he is a broody hen! He's been hanging out in the nest for the past two days, silly boy.

I normally wouldn't allow chicks access to the nest box, but mom is laying again. How do I keep the little stinkers from napping in there? I really don't want to have to clean poo out of the nest every day. Last night, two little pullets were sleeping in there, but I pulled them out and placed them on the roost. And when mom has to lay, they all follow her and either sit in there with her or right in front of her. Poor girl can't get any peace!

 

[Bandit37804]

I can't seem to start a NEW thread but I have a question. I have a Buff that is now into her 8th week of being broody. I take any eggs that she (or another hen) may lay but she will NOT stop! How do I break her from her broodiness??? She does eat and drink on occasion. She is one determined hen!!!

 

[Hamstery]

I can't seem to start a NEW thread but I have a question. I have a Buff that is now into her 8th week of being broody. I take any eggs that she (or another hen) may lay but she will NOT stop! How do I break her from her broodiness??? She does eat and drink on occasion. She is one determined hen!!!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/181289/how-to-break-a-broody-hen

 

[sonderah]

Apparently my black Silkie was just tricking!!! Grrr!!! Lol I mean, I didn't want them BOTH broody at the same time, but I'd already given her eggs! And I planned to give the white one chicks that are due in the hatcher today! So, I had to switch the eggs to my white Silkie, and looks like I am brooding the babies! Black one is just being a turd!

 

[frg34]

I came back home yesterday after 11 days away (day 21). 3/12 had hatched the night before, another two hatched last night and one got stuck in its membrane. I took the one out of the membrane and it looks like it will do well. I am leaving it an incubator (overnight til it can move well enough to move to mom) along with 6 other eggs (hen decided she was done sitting). Mom moved from the nest to the floor; just making sure but they will be fine with no light, right? Mom should stay put and no chicks get lost?

 

[fisherlady]

I came back home yesterday after 11 days away (day 21). 3/12 had hatched the night before, another two hatched last night and one got stuck in its membrane. I took the one out of the membrane and it looks like it will do well. I am leaving it an incubator (overnight til it can move well enough to move to mom) along with 6 other eggs (hen decided she was done sitting). Mom moved from the nest to the floor; just making sure but they will be fine with no light, right? Mom should stay put and no chicks get lost?

They do fine without a light.... our hens spend about 80% of the time sitting the first few days, short trips for food and water but they don't roam when it starts to get dark. If she has outside access just make sure to check that the chicks were able to get back inside when she did. Otherwise they should be fine.

 

[Chickens R Us]

Will "your" eggs hatch chicken or ....... Just kidding.

I guess I should have said my chickens eggs vs. bought eggs.