Broody Hen Thread!

[PD-Riverman]

I want one of my hens to go broody. I hope it happens soon.

If you got a Broody breed it will happen. I had Rhode Island reds and did not have a one go broody in several years---but I also switched them out every year so I never had any much older than 1 1/2 years old.

 

[Sage Hill Farm]

Hello all and thanks for your tips and stories. I'm new to hatching, and our silkie hen just had a hatch from several of hers and our buff's eggs she's been sitting on.

Do I need to provide feed for this chick right away, and if so, what do you recommend and when? I believe the lil one was hatched yesterday morning. Seems healthy and peeps a lot.

 

[olliegrow]

if you can get some chick crumbles or just grind some chick feed up and add some water, when momma eats the babies should follow her, just put the feeder close by so they don't have to go far, same with the water dish....NO medicated feed since momma is going to eat it also and possibly other chickens, not good for them or the eggs.

 

[fisherlady]

Hello all and thanks for your tips and stories. I'm new to hatching, and our silkie hen just had a hatch from several of hers and our buff's eggs she's been sitting on.

Do I need to provide feed for this chick right away, and if so, what do you recommend and when? I believe the lil one was hatched yesterday morning. Seems healthy and peeps a lot.

Chick starter and fresh water should be made available within 24 hours near nest in a spot close enough for broody to easily lead chick to teach it about eating and drinking when it is ready. Chicks don't actually need food for 48-72 hours after hatch but I have found our broodies tend to get them out and started much earlier than they really need to so I prefer to have it ready for them.


The chick starter can either be medicated or unmedicated.... that choice should be made by you after taking some time to research the benefits and drawbacks to either. It should be based on your flock goals and situations. Some folks also add chick vitamins to the water which is also a choice best made after doing some research.

Make sure the water source does not have a deep enough lip to cause risk of drowning. Little chicks are notorious for falling into things they shouldn't. Many opt to use a quail waterer (very narrow channel for the water) or add marbles to the normal waterer or water bowl being used to take up potential space and make it safer. Teaching them with water nipples in another option which would depend on how you normally provide water to your flock.

 

[fisherlady]

Hello all and thanks for your tips and stories. I'm new to hatching, and our silkie hen just had a hatch from several of hers and our buff's eggs she's been sitting on.

Do I need to provide feed for this chick right away, and if so, what do you recommend and when? I believe the lil one was hatched yesterday morning. Seems healthy and peeps a lot.

Here is an earlier thread to help research for preference between medicated and non-medicated chick starter....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...s-on-medicated-chick-starter-feeds-for-layers

 

[Sage Hill Farm]

Thank you very much, @olliegrow and @fisherlady !!


Should I provide regular feed for mommy as well nearby, or will baby try to eat that and choke?

Also, @olliegrow , when you say you can crush up feed... would that be normal lay feed? I'm assuming not but wasn't sure. How important do you think it is to have starter mash?

A chicken waterer like this one should be ok, right? Our is like this but the base is a little more shallow. Still too deep, you think? I will add a few marbles so it's not deep enough to submerge a little beak <3



Thanks again for all your insight!

 

[olliegrow]

perfect waterer....yes normal chick feed that is, layer feed is too high in a lot of ingredients and they wont grow right...any feed store should have chick starter, either medicated or not. If its too big and crumbly I run it through a coffee grinder then add water if necessary...

 

[Kendrain]

If you got a Broody breed it will happen. I had Rhode Island reds and did not have a one go broody in several years---but I also switched them out every year so I never had any much older than 1 1/2 years old.

I see several posts about buff orpingtons going broody. I have one so hopefully she will be my girl.

 

[holm25]

She is broody. And more are making brood patches. There are 8 hens making brood patches and one that is clucking and acting a bit odd. Thinking she will be sitting in a few days.

 

[Kendrain]

My bounty from yesterday. Isn't it pretty?