Broody Hen Thread!

[16 paws]

My broody hen that hatched my Seramas about 3.5 months ago has finally snapped out of her broody state and become her old annoying self again... she must be the only hen who is an outstanding sweet broody and crazy annoying normally!!??... so she is gobbling up all their food now and making a lot of noise and the coop is really too small to have her in there but I tried taking her back to the main coop and that didn't go well. I am sure I should have put her in at night and hopefully they would readjust during the day... I don't know.

I am sure she hates to go back to the bottom of the pecking order. It is just that she is really annoying when she is not broody and most of my chickens and my Muscovy can't stand her. She is a misfit... not sure what to do with her. I would love for her to go broody again. I have some duck eggs that could really really use a mommy! Should I stick her in a dark dog crate for a bit and see what happens? I think she is fine nutritionally to go broody again. She is a Salmon Faverolle... here she is with her grown up babies. Look at that little frizzle hen looking up at her mama!

My broody hen that hatched my Seramas about 3.5 months ago has finally snapped out of her broody state and become her old annoying self again... she must be the only hen who is an outstanding sweet broody and crazy annoying normally!!??... so she is gobbling up all their food now and making a lot of noise and the coop is really too small to have her in there but I tried taking her back to the main coop and that didn't go well. I am sure I should have put her in at night and hopefully they would readjust during the day... I don't know.

I am sure she hates to go back to the bottom of the pecking order. It is just that she is really annoying when she is not broody and most of my chickens and my Muscovy can't stand her. She is a misfit... not sure what to do with her. I would love for her to go broody again. I have some duck eggs that could really really use a mommy! Should I stick her in a dark dog crate for a bit and see what happens? I think she is fine nutritionally to go broody again. She is a Salmon Faverolle... here she is with her grown up babies. Look at that little frizzle hen looking up at her mama!

That is so cute. That frizzle and mama are so pretty.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

We have fuzzy butts!!!!!!
Since we are not bothering her more than necessary to do our normal daily coop chores, all I can say for certain is that at least two eggs have hatched (mama has moved the shells out from under her to the edge of the box, so I removed them) and I have seen one fuzzy butt sticking out from under her.
There was a definite shift in her posture and attitude this afternoon, so I knew we were getting close - can't wait for her to feel up to letting us actually see them.

 

[Blooie]

We have fuzzy butts!!!!!!
Since we are not bothering her more than necessary to do our normal daily coop chores, all I can say for certain is that at least two eggs have hatched (mama has moved the shells out from under her to the edge of the box, so I removed them) and I have seen one fuzzy butt sticking out from under her.
There was a definite shift in her posture and attitude this afternoon, so I knew we were getting close - can't wait for her to feel up to letting us actually see them.

Oh congrats!! Post some shots as soon as you can, please? Can you explain what you meant by "There was a definite shift in her posture and attitude this afternoon?" or is it one of the intangibles that you feel and notice because you have more experience in the behaviors of a hen when the chicks are close? I'm not trying to be difficult, it's just that today is day 19 for Agatha and I'm curious - and getting a little antsy, truth be told.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Oh congrats!! Post some shots as soon as you can, please? Can you explain what you meant by "There was a definite shift in her posture and attitude this afternoon?" or is it one of the intangibles that you feel and notice because you have more experience in the behaviors of a hen when the chicks are close? I'm not trying to be difficult, it's just that today is day 19 for Agatha and I'm curious - and getting a little antsy, truth be told.

What I noted was she was a little higher on her haunches, more of a squat than actually settling down on the eggs and was more defensive than she had been this whole time. She has been a very pleasant broody, just some minor growling and never even so much as an attempt to peck when we actually did reach into the nest (ie to check for eggs that didn't belong) - she was MUCH more vocal and actually pecked at anything that came close to the front of her box, let alone reached into it. She was just overall different.

To the results - we gave her five eggs and she has five happy, healthy chicks! She is proving to be a very attentive mother - so precious to sit in the coop and listen to her cluck and tut to her chicks and them answering back. We moved them to a ground floor apartment today and cleaned out the nest box she had been using. For the next few days they'll be in their private quarters beneath the nest boxes, and then we'll see if mama feels comfortable integrating her family into the flock. I know there are mixed opinions on raising them in the flock, but it's always worked out well in the past, so we're going to give it a go this time around too.

We've been pretty hands off today with the exception of actually moving them, and are giving her some space and quiet to get resettled, but I did snap a couple of pictures

This was right after we got everyone into the new tote nest box - you can see all five babies, #5 poked it's head out just in time for the picture, lol



She found a little bit of feed that had spilled when I was moving the feeder over the nest area, she called the babies out to show them what it was.




The lighter of the two Easter Egger/Easter Egger babies - the other one is the front baby in the picture above - the other three *should* be EE/SLW or EE/GLW

 

[fisherlady]

What I noted was she was a little higher on her haunches, more of a squat than actually settling down on the eggs and was more defensive than she had been this whole time. She has been a very pleasant broody, just some minor growling and never even so much as an attempt to peck when we actually did reach into the nest (ie to check for eggs that didn't belong) - she was MUCH more vocal and actually pecked at anything that came close to the front of her box, let alone reached into it. She was just overall different.

To the results - we gave her five eggs and she has five happy, healthy chicks! She is proving to be a very attentive mother - so precious to sit in the coop and listen to her cluck and tut to her chicks and them answering back. We moved them to a ground floor apartment today and cleaned out the nest box she had been using. For the next few days they'll be in their private quarters beneath the nest boxes, and then we'll see if mama feels comfortable integrating her family into the flock. I know there are mixed opinions on raising them in the flock, but it's always worked out well in the past, so we're going to give it a go this time around too.

We've been pretty hands off today with the exception of actually moving them, and are giving her some space and quiet to get resettled, but I did snap a couple of pictures

This was right after we got everyone into the new tote nest box - you can see all five babies, #5 poked it's head out just in time for the picture, lol



She found a little bit of feed that had spilled when I was moving the feeder over the nest area, she called the babies out to show them what it was.




The lighter of the two Easter Egger/Easter Egger babies - the other one is the front baby in the picture above - the other three *should* be EE/SLW or EE/GLW

They are little cuties and mama is doing good with them! Congrats on the great hatch and you will find yourself spending a lot of time enjoying the sounds of a broody with her chicks, I am sure!

 

[Blooie]

@Ol Grey Mare Thanks for explaining that for me. I'll watch for that behavior when I go out, but I try not to go out too much. I usually just take care of the poop board and checking food and water, then get the heck out. But today I kinda blew all my good intentions out of the water!
I went out to do my chicken chores and gather eggs and I let the girls out into the yard for a bit. Agatha surprised me and actually got off the nest and went out with them. Like I said, I always open the side door on her crate after I know everyone else has laid their eggs for the day. Shortly after I opened it today, out she went. I snapped a quick picture of her enjoying a quick dust bath, and I also took one of the eggs in the nest. Being the over-eager snoopy nose that I am, I took the opportunity to look things over well. I moved the crate out of the way, crouched down in front of the nest and stared at them, looking for little holes, or eggs moving slightly, but didn't see a thing. I rested my hand on them and was happy that every single one of them was equally warm, so she's covering all of them very well. Then, well, then I couldn't help myself. My brain was saying, "Diane, don't even THINK about it" as my hand reached for the egg closest to the nest opening. Without turning or twisting it even slightly, I held it up to my ear, hoping to hear those little "peeps" I'd heard about. Instead of a "peep", it sounded like the little dude in there was grinding his teeth! I started grinning. I put that one back exactly as it was when I picked it up and checked a few more of them. Out of the 5 I listened to, I heard that faint little grinding sound in 4 of them. My husband, who was there with me, says I'm crazy and he didn't hear a thing, but I wouldn't let him hold them to listen - I was too afraid that the egg might have gotten slightly turned as we moved it from my hand to his, so I held it for him. Each egg I checked was held in precisely the same orientation that it was in the nest and then put back exactly where and how it was. I would have checked more of them, but through the open pop door I saw Agatha heading back, so I moved the crate back, stood up and went back to ignoring her. She hopped right back on the nest, but for some reason she didn't roll the eggs around under her before she settled like she usually does. She just climbed into the nest and went right back to work. I imagine she was only off them for about 8 minutes by my watch.


Agatha enjoying her dust bath.


All of the Littles.....the egg with the black and white feather resting against it is the one I listened to first. So am I as crazy as Ken thinks? Was I just wanting to hear something so badly that I imagined that little grinding sound? I'm sure it's possible, but boy, I'm just not sure. Day 20 started this evening.

 

[fisherlady]

@Ol Grey Mare Thanks for explaining that for me. I'll watch for that behavior when I go out, but I try not to go out too much. I usually just take care of the poop board and checking food and water, then get the heck out. But today I kinda blew all my good intentions out of the water!
I went out to do my chicken chores and gather eggs and I let the girls out into the yard for a bit. Agatha surprised me and actually got off the nest and went out with them. Like I said, I always open the side door on her crate after I know everyone else has laid their eggs for the day. Shortly after I opened it today, out she went. I snapped a quick picture of her enjoying a quick dust bath, and I also took one of the eggs in the nest. Being the over-eager snoopy nose that I am, I took the opportunity to look things over well. I moved the crate out of the way, crouched down in front of the nest and stared at them, looking for little holes, or eggs moving slightly, but didn't see a thing. I rested my hand on them and was happy that every single one of them was equally warm, so she's covering all of them very well. Then, well, then I couldn't help myself. My brain was saying, "Diane, don't even THINK about it" as my hand reached for the egg closest to the nest opening. Without turning or twisting it even slightly, I held it up to my ear, hoping to hear those little "peeps" I'd heard about. Instead of a "peep", it sounded like the little dude in there was grinding his teeth! I started grinning. I put that one back exactly as it was when I picked it up and checked a few more of them. Out of the 5 I listened to, I heard that faint little grinding sound in 4 of them. My husband, who was there with me, says I'm crazy and he didn't hear a thing, but I wouldn't let him hold them to listen - I was too afraid that the egg might have gotten slightly turned as we moved it from my hand to his, so I held it for him. Each egg I checked was held in precisely the same orientation that it was in the nest and then put back exactly where and how it was. I would have checked more of them, but through the open pop door I saw Agatha heading back, so I moved the crate back, stood up and went back to ignoring her. She hopped right back on the nest, but for some reason she didn't roll the eggs around under her before she settled like she usually does. She just climbed into the nest and went right back to work. I imagine she was only off them for about 8 minutes by my watch.


Agatha enjoying her dust bath.


All of the Littles.....the egg with the black and white feather resting against it is the one I listened to first. So am I as crazy as Ken thinks? Was I just wanting to hear something so badly that I imagined that little grinding sound? I'm sure it's possible, but boy, I'm just not sure. Day 20 started this evening.

You aren't crazy, what you may have heard was the little one starting to work on the inside of the shell for pipping, or even scratching against the inside as it gets positioned to hatch. You should be seeing results within a day or so now....

 

[Blooie]

Thanks, Fisherlady! I swear, it was easier to wait 9 months for each of my kids to be born than it has been waiting this 21 days.

 

[fisherlady]

Thanks, Fisherlady! I swear, it was easier to wait 9 months for each of my kids to be born than it has been waiting this 21 days.

I can totally sympathize! Unfortunately it doesn't get any easier on the next hatch.... I think it stems from the fact that there is just no good way for us to know exactly what is happening and we certainly don't have much control over it!

 

[Blooie]

And I just heard the weather report. Peachy! Supposed to get down to 29 on Tuesday night, hatch night. Wonderful. <sigh> Well, it's not like I didn't know that would be a possibility, putting eggs under her in October.