Broody Hen Thread!

[fisherlady]

Maybe this is the thread I should be enquiring on...
We have a broody who hatched two chicks yesterday and then left the nest today to eat with her 2 lil ones and then never returned. I went to check the nest and heard chirping. No pips but 4 eggs were clearly chirping. So internal pip has happened. I went ahead and started the incubator up and placed them in. Then it occurred to me that we have 2 other hens who are trying to go broody but we keep taking their eggs (I only need one broody at a time with our set up). Should I give one of them the eggs to hatch. One has been broody 2-3 days and the other for a little over a week. Will it throw them off to have a chick pop out this soon? Should I separate them from the flock or move her with the other broody and her two chicks?

I am thankful I have options but not really sure what to do.

It is a bit early to give them to the other hens, though certainly would be worth trying, especially if they are experienced broodies and you can be close by to watch reactions... at the first sign of trouble you would need to remove them.... you have a much better chance at success with the hen who is already a week into her brood.

other option is hatch them out in the incubator and slip them under the original broody after they are dry... if it isn't more than 3 or 4 days since the first hatch the mama probably will take them back without problem.... if she does then all you need to do is keep an eye on them to make sure they aren't being left behind by faster siblings when out and about and remember they will be more prone to problems on ramps and such till they are a week old themselves.

 

[MommaBee]

Well now she's made a new nest and is sitting again. Should I try to slip them back under her?

 

[SD Bird Lady]

I think it is worth a try

 

[MommaBee]

Thank you guys! It was definitely worth a try, she tucked them right back underneath her. As my husband pointed out, maybe she just got up because it was 95 degrees out and not necessary to keep them warm? Who knows. But after an hour off the nest I thought I should do something. Looks like sometimes it is best to just leave mother nature alone! Haha Thanks for the advice though, next time I will know what to do if that happened again.

 

[Joski1995]

Oh

...

Hi all. An update on my broody Black Rock. Well i purchased 6 buff orprington eggs off Ebay. I didnt really have much hope for them. They arrived by post and we put them straight under the hen. what do you know? 20 days later all 6 hatched. Im so pleased i did it as she seams to be a real good mum. [/quotOh oh that is so sweet :$

 

[Aunt ruth]

You'll have to block the one you don't want her to use or block her in the one you want her to use (probably a better solution)...otherwise she will choose the one she wants if she has access to both.

Lady of McCamley

am I doing it right?

 

[jajeanpierre]

Thank you guys! It was definitely worth a try, she tucked them right back underneath her. As my husband pointed out, maybe she just got up because it was 95 degrees out and not necessary to keep them warm? Who knows. But after an hour off the nest I thought I should do something. Looks like sometimes it is best to just leave mother nature alone! Haha Thanks for the advice though, next time I will know what to do if that happened again.

I found my broody hens off the nests for so long I was worried. I even thought the eggs were chilled. It was very hot, so maybe she didn't need to be on them and was overheating in the box. All worked out. I'll now not panic if I see it again.

 

[carcar80]

Hi everyone, I have a broody who is on eggs day 22.. One has an external pip and she is off the nest. I'm about to go out for a couple hours or more and wonder if I should grab the eggs up? I thought they never get up during hatch? Thanks!!

 

[carcar80]

To clarify.. I gave her six eggs last week.. The rest are still in my bator and one of those has pipped as well, so I'm wondering should I take hers back or leave them be..

 

[Lady of McCamley]

am I doing it right?

I'm not sure at what I'm looking at...is that the hen you don't want on top of the nest with the broody inside?

If that is the case, I would have more room for the broody.

Is that the only 2 nesting sites?

Ideally, the broody should have that whole little corner for herself, blocked off from the others, so she can nest, get up once a day at will to eat/drink/and relieve without access to another nesting site or others able to access her.

Lady of McCamley