Broody Hen Thread!

[holm25]

Question Why would You allow her to Set, if you are not going to allow her to hatch?? Break her-----so she will get back to normal---laying etc!

We will have some chicks for her within a week. Or if my roo is here in time she will have eggs.

 

[PD-Riverman]

We will have some chicks for her within a week. Or if my roo is here in time she will have eggs.

If you are planning to just put live chicks under her---there is a very good chance she will not accept them-----then she might.

I do not understand the part about the rooster--what do you mean?? Are you saying you have other hens that he can fertilize their eggs so you can put them under her----or are you saying getting a rooster will make her start laying again??? All that is going to take time---if she has been setting now for weeks and you put good eggs under her-----she will be so worn out she might not stay on the nest long enough to hatch the eggs. You do what you want---If she was mine--I would find some local farm eggs for her to hatch or I would be concerned about her health and break her broodiness----till you are set-up and ready----she will probably broody again soon.

 

[holm25]

I am hoping that she stays broody and have eggs from other hens. I have done this before and that hen is fine.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Our Buff Orp hen is still broody but I have no eggs for her. I am impressed with her she has sat for a long time and this is her first time brooding as she is only 8 months old!!

I am hoping that she stays broody and have eggs from other hens. I have done this before and that hen is fine.

Congratulations on your Buff Orp!

I am of the opinion to never break a brood if you ever want to use that hen to brood again as I think it sets bad habits for the hen....so I think you've got a good plan. It only takes 2 days of covering for a rooster to produce fertile eggs in hens...so her wait shouldn't be long.

The only hitch will be if she has set so long that she gives up before another 21 days. You would obviously need a plan B for the unfinished eggs then.

I've had one Buff Orp be very persistent at about 8 months of age. I think her total brood time was about 5 weeks, which is typical brood length if no chicks are hatching or growing. I did not use her at the time, being one of my first hens to brood ever, and she never went broody again. That was a huge disappointment for me because she had awaken me to the idea of how easy brooding with a hen would be. I ended up buying a proven Silkie so that I could brood regularly.

All to say, I agree...I never take a broody for granted but use them if at all possible. If I can't, I reward that behavior by letting it run its course providing supplements if necessary to sustain the hen. I also use those "dry runs" to see who has the make up to stay the course. That has helped me several times choose which hen I am willing to put expensive eggs under (as I often am hatching special types).

Let us know when you set eggs so we can watch along too

Lady of McCamley

 

[holm25]

I never will break a broody. If I thought it was a bad idea to let them sit I would break them but they are doing what they have for 100's of years. I think my duck is getting ready to brood and about 5 hens have been making brood patches so just gotta see who else goes broody!!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I never will break a broody. If I thought it was a bad idea to let them sit I would break them but they are doing what they have for 100's of years. I think my duck is getting ready to brood and about 5 hens have been making brood patches so just gotta see who else goes broody!!

Spring is in the air!

LofMc

 

[Lady of McCamley]

The first chick is out!

Looks to be an OE (Isbar/Marans) from the dark egg shell and coloring...waiting for the Isbar chicks whose eggs are peeking out but no signs that I can see yet.

Mom is in lock down for the rest, so I hand fed her on her nest. She gobbled the scratch eagerly and even gave some to junior who took it willingly.

Good news....no head dot. Breeder said there was a chance one of the mothers could have been a Blue Birchen Cuckoo Marans which means any head dots would indicate roo...so yay, no hands down roo's yet.

One other OE to hatch and 3 Isbars....which I really hope I get...news to follow.

LofMc

 

[LadyHawkeAvry]

The first chick is out!

Looks to be an OE (Isbar/Marans) from the dark egg shell and coloring...waiting for the Isbar chicks whose eggs are peeking out but no signs that I can see yet.

Mom is in lock down for the rest, so I hand fed her on her nest. She gobbled the scratch eagerly and even gave some to junior who took it willingly.

Good news....no head dot. Breeder said there was a chance one of the mothers could have been a Blue Birchen Cuckoo Marans which means any head dots would indicate roo...so yay, no hands down roo's yet.

One other OE to hatch and 3 Isbars....which I really hope I get...news to follow.

LofMc

Congratulations!
I haven't checked my broody yet today since I had to pull another egg bomb out from under her yesterday and really don't want to disturb her while she is in lockdown. The house is so dry she is having a tough time keeping her humidity up, as am I with the incubator. The first of her babies (the assist) is doing well with me, and one of the other two eggs I pulled for my daughter to imprint is in the process of hatching (breech), so I am making the assumption that she has pipped eggs under her as well.. I'll just wait until I hear the babies at this point!

 

[Lilorp14]

such a cute pic...

 

[Lilorp14]