Broody Hen Thread!

[browning6]

Congrats on the hatch! As far as numbers... much of what a hen can handle will depend on outside influences....
.... during warm weather they can handle more because the chicks will be able to tolerate not being totally covered after the first week or so. But if she can't cover them now you may need to intervene. Wait till late evening and go check on her (prefer with either a red light or very minimal lighting).... listen for a lot of cheeping and fussing. If you do hear a lot then watch to see if it appears that all the chicks can't be covered or are arguing. If that is the case you may need to provide an alternative heat source in the broody area or remove some to a brooder. A brinsea heat plate would work well, as would a 'lizard light' which is a ceramic heat bulb that would minimize disturbance but allow you to set up an auxiliary heat area or nest beside the broody for extra chicks to hang out or sleep.
.... make sure you are able to check on her multiple times a day while they are tiny if they are in an area with multiple levels (such as a coop run with a ramp to the coop). It may be hard for the mama hen to keep them all following her and you will probably need to help with transition from level to level. Setting up an alternative nesting area on the lower level will help the hen out, she can settle there during the day for breaks with the chicks.
..... food access must be easy and with enough space to allow them to all eat when mama shows them where it is.... same with water. So with that many chicks you may need to add an extra dispenser for both food and water.
... free ranging is a great way for mama to keep the little ones busy, but again, you may need to watch closely for the first few days she is out to help with stragglers. We always seem to have a 'wrong way Corrigan' in every clutch of chicks who is regularly getting lost or separated from the rest of the group. After a week or two the incidents reduce.
.... if your rooster is good with the chicks it makes it easier, I have 2 in particular that help with 'baby duties' and the chicks do respond well to them, same if you have another hen who the broody will tolerate.... but those assists are totally dependent on flock dynamics and personal attitudes. Flocks who are chick friendly are easier on a hen with a large clutch than flocks who are chick aggressive and the broody is constantly having to defend roaming chicks.

So my advice would be... let mama hen try to handle her little ones, but observe and be prepared to assist. I really feel that broody raised chicks just have an extra edge over their brooder counterparts when they are younger, so I do what I can to try to make it work out for them.

That really helps. I did check on them last night and this morning and there were still 16 running around. I will make sure that they have great access to water and feed.

 

[sonderah]

So I had eggs under my Silkie, because I let the other Silkie trick me into thinking she was broody again too. Lol Then I decided to keep the chicks that just hatched, so I took her eggs and moved to the incy and gave her the babies this morning. I sat for a long time watching to be sure they are safe and it really appears so. At first she was sweet with them and all, but she wouldn't let them get under her, she would do the broody growl, but not as bad, & push herself down so they couldn't. But she would let them snuggle all up against her. Lol So I lifted her and pushed them under and have checked SEVERAL times and things seem good. Fingers crossed!!

 

[chicksurreal]

Ack! She's at it again today! Staying in the nesting box and hissing and biting at me if I try to take her out. I'm not sure what to do, is it common for pullets to do this when they start to become broody? Help is much appreciated!

 

[TiaRC]

Ack! She's at it again today! Staying in the nesting box and hissing and biting at me if I try to take her out. I'm not sure what to do, is it common for pullets to do this when they start to become broody? Help is much appreciated!

Yup ha

 

[Dumb Kluck]

I think one of my other girls might be jealous of the redheads chicks...

 

[chicksurreal]

Yup ha

Hm. She was in there all day yesterday and overnight, but was out walking around this morning like nothing happened yesterday. When it was time to lay her egg she got in there and hasn't come out for hours. If I try to get the eggs the other pullets have laid next to her (she lets them in the box to lay) she bites me and gets them under her. Lol!

I wonder how long this might go on...

 

[jajeanpierre]

Chicks with a mama are so much more interesting than chicks in a brooder.

My son gave the mama an almond as a treat for being such a good mama. Instead of eating it, she called the babies over and gave it to them. When she saw it was too big, she tried to bash it into pieces for them--fortunately my son got it away from her before a chick was hurt.

I gave her some live meal worms to see what she'd do. She called the babies over, gave them a whack to break them up and gave them to the babies. The two splash--seemingly the strongest of the group and probably the oldest--both ate quite a few. Lots of running around with a worm in their beaks. It was quite cute. I guess not much fun for the meal worm.

Such a difference to birds that have been penned all their lives. I had two six-month old bantam Cochin pullets shipped to me this winter. I offered them live meal worms and it took them forever to learn to eat them. One took days, days! These babies were hatched Sunday and they were getting big meal worms down pretty easily. I wonder what they'll do if a big cicada lands in the pen. Those things are the size of mice and they should start dropping from the trees soon.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Hm. She was in there all day yesterday and overnight, but was out walking around this morning like nothing happened yesterday. When it was time to lay her egg she got in there and hasn't come out for hours. If I try to get the eggs the other pullets have laid next to her (she lets them in the box to lay) she bites me and gets them under her. Lol!

I wonder how long this might go on...

My broody that just hatched seven out of seven eggs would get out of the nest for quite a while every so often. She would be out foraging quite a distance from the nest box. I even thought at one point the eggs got cold. Sometimes I would find her perched in the coop but off the eggs. I think the temperature of the nest box has a lot to do with it. My daytime temps have been in the 90s--they didn't need much from the hen.

 

[fisherlady]

Chicks with a mama are so much more interesting than chicks in a brooder.

My son gave the mama an almond as a treat for being such a good mama. Instead of eating it, she called the babies over and gave it to them. When she saw it was too big, she tried to bash it into pieces for them--fortunately my son got it away from her before a chick was hurt.

I gave her some live meal worms to see what she'd do. She called the babies over, gave them a whack to break them up and gave them to the babies. The two splash--seemingly the strongest of the group and probably the oldest--both ate quite a few. Lots of running around with a worm in their beaks. It was quite cute. I guess not much fun for the meal worm.

Such a difference to birds that have been penned all their lives. I had two six-month old bantam Cochin pullets shipped to me this winter. I offered them live meal worms and it took them forever to learn to eat them. One took days, days! These babies were hatched Sunday and they were getting big meal worms down pretty easily. I wonder what they'll do if a big cicada lands in the pen. Those things are the size of mice and they should start dropping from the trees soon.

I do love watching the hen teach the little ones all about bugs and other goodies.... ours have a blast with June Bugs (not nearly as large as cicada but similar) and I do get a huge kick out of the games of 'keep away' the little ones have when they find a prize!

 

[chicksurreal]

My broody that just hatched seven out of seven eggs would get out of the nest for quite a while every so often. She would be out foraging quite a distance from the nest box. I even thought at one point the eggs got cold. Sometimes I would find her perched in the coop but off the eggs. I think the temperature of the nest box has a lot to do with it. My daytime temps have been in the 90s--they didn't need much from the hen.

That's a good point. We're easily running 100 degrees plus here every day. But she's sitting on them all day anyway. Lol!