Broody Hen Thread!

[n3kms]

The chicks had their first outing today. All went well. Momma is very protective. Is it typical for that hen to become top of pecking order even after chicks are grown ? She sure is doing a good job of putting the others in their place right now. And she was never aggressive before. Thoughts?

That's a darling picture. You must have had to lay on the ground to get it.

 

[Hamstery]

That's a darling picture. You must have had to lay on the ground to get it.

Almost! But I did do a lot of laying on the ground the first day they went out. lol (that picture was Saturday, I mistakenly wrote "today" in my post)
So far we have been taking the babies out and putting them back at the end of the day. They are so fast!! I'm debating just letting them do it by themselves tonight. When I put one of the babies on the ramp to go down, she sauntered down like she'd been doing it forever. I added some "rungs" to the ramp and I think it's enough for them to get in and out. I've just been impatient and nervous about them being out too late. One of them squeezed RIGHT through the regular chicken wire the first day. I just about had a heart attack when I saw it running into the woods. Momma was going crazy because she couldn't get to her. I added a bunch of wood all propped up against the outside of the run so that wouldn't happen again while they are still so small.

 

[luvmypets]

The hen being aggresive is normal shes basically saying mess with my chicks and you get it...

 

[Hamstery]

The hen being aggresive is normal shes basically saying mess with my chicks and you get it...

Exactly. I love seeing her so protective of them. The others are not playing around anymore. They are keeping their distance for sure! I just wonder if she will keep that "attitude" and remain the top of the pecking order once the little ones are grown up. I would love to see her the top hen because I have a RIR with a bad attitude

 

[n3kms]

Those little rascals can squeeze through amazingly small spaces. One of ours at almost 4 weeks old got under the run gate at the corner where there was a little room. I just knew they were finally too big to do that when I put them out. At least you know they will outgrow that eventually.

 

[Hamstery]

Those little rascals can squeeze through amazingly small spaces. One of ours at almost 4 weeks old got under the run gate at the corner where there was a little room. I just knew they were finally too big to do that when I put them out. At least you know they will outgrow that eventually.

The run is like fort knox for chicks today. I'm at work so I had to be sure they were safe in there.

 

[brahma chicken]

This is My first broody hen

She still got 16 more days to go

 

[luvmypets]

 

[Back2Roots]

Exactly. I love seeing her so protective of them.  The others are not playing around anymore.  They are keeping their distance for sure!  I just wonder if she will keep that "attitude" and remain the top of the pecking order once the little ones are grown up.  I would love to see her the top hen because I have a RIR with a bad attitude

I too have been wondering about how pecking order is affected when a top hen goes broody. This is my first year with chickens, my top hen went broody last week, and she is truly dedicated to becoming a mama to her flockmate's eggs and that golf ball she's sitting on. I don't have rooster, so I plan to give her some fertile hatching eggs I bought just as soon as we finish the larger coop area (hopefully this evening). Anyway, Like you, I have another hen with a bad attitude. She was being kept in check by my head hen prior to her going broody, but I've noticed that the beta hen is getting bitchier with the pullets lower on the pecking order now that my broody hen spends most of her time in the nest box, Yeah, I know, I need to get her out of there and into her own broody nest. That's one of the reasons why we had to figure out alternate accommodations: she's staked out the community next box and stealing my other hen's eggs as soon as she lays them. Yep, of the 4 chickens that I currently have only two are of laying age, and my best layer decided to go broody, so I have gone down to 3 or maybe 4 eggs from 7-8 a week. and I'm not even sure how safe it is to eat the eggs she is stealing because I don't know when my other hen is laying hers during the day and how long my broody has been cooking them.

But I digress: I am really hoping that she doesn't lose her spot at the top of the pecking order, because she is a good flock leader: dominant without being domineering. Does anyone have any experience with changes to flock dynamics when a high ranking hen goes broody?

 

[quailtrail]

Loving the pictures!!!

well we were finally able to check to see how many eggs she is sitting on...14!!! They must be laying right in there with her??? What would be the best thing to do here??? Should we take some out?? There is another nesting box but no one is using it...