Broody Hen Thread!

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My first experience with a broody was when one of my Russian Orloff's decided to refuse to move from the nest box. There are 2 boxes but everyone uses the furthermost one. The others would still push beside her to lay so although she had been on eggs for over a week she'd steal the new ones too! Keeping in mind that after 3 days or so mommas take the first hatched chicks to food and water I finally just moved the rest of the flock to another coop. Most folks don't have a whole other coop so moving just the broody within the first week or so is easier for them. Goldie (the BO) doesn't care so long as she gets her eggs. Last Fall she refused to move from a bucket nest box for her BLP roommate to lay which made for some hilarious pics!
 
Looks like she is sticking in the new spot. Now just have to slip some more eggs under her.
400
 
16 paws said:
Ok,
Here is an update on how the chick graft went.
Yesterday, which was Thursday I picked up 7 baby chicks from the feed store, 6 Marans and 1 Brabanter. That was about noon. They had just arrived not more than a couple hours before from Texas.

I rushed them home, gave them food and water right away and put them right under the heat light.

About 8:30 that same night I took them down to the coop to slip under the broody. Keep in mind that she is a very small frizzle cochin bantam. I tried to shield her from seeing what we were doing but that did not work at all. She managed to see everything even thou we tried to keep the flashlight far enough away to keep it semi-dark. We took the 2 wooden eggs away and 1 by 1 slipped them under her. It did not go well at first. The babies were scared and she looked like "what in the heck is going on here"! The chicks were chirping up a storm and not in a good way. I heard her making a noise and gently pecking them. I could hardly breath waiting to see if they would settle down. She started to tell them with a peck or two to get under her. A couple of them were too scared to snuggle in with her and I had to keep putting them back under her. Then all was quiet. I heard that gentle happy gurgle chirp they make when they feel safe. I knew that was a good sign. All was well until a few minutes went by and a certain little rebel chick got away from her and started chirping in distress. I could hear them from the deck so I had to go down about 3 more times and put the chick under her again. I slept very light all last night, kept going out on the deck checking to hear any chirping. All was well.

Raced down first thing in the morning and saw a couple of them in the food dish looking like they had really made themselves at home. Taffy, the broody mom started to show them how to scratch and peck. I got lucky because Taffy had only been sitting for less than a week before I gave her the chicks. I would not recommend doing this but it worked out. Taffy has been a good brooder and mom before and she is very gentle so I thought I would give it a try and I am very proud of her.

Also had read another post about waiting a day or two for the chicks to recover from the long ride to the feed store before placing them under the broody. That makes a lot of sense but I decided in my situation to put them in with her right away before they got used to being by themselves. I am glad it worked out for them. they look and sound so happy.

Hope this bit of info can help someone else out there placing feed store chicks with a broody.

Here is a picture of my set-up for them.

Taffy started off broody in this wood nest box. A few hours before I put the chicks with her I moved the whole nest box into a dog crate and put chicken wire around the lower portion. When I got home from work today several had escaped and I could not figure out how they got out. After watching for a bit I saw that they are so tiny they can actually squeeze thru the chicken wire! Something to consider for next time. I have 33 other chickens in my flock and none of the others were even trying to hurt the little escapees. Wow...



Now all of my other chickens can get to know them but they can still have their privacy and get to bond with mama broody.

Marie
Click to expand...


I'm glad you've had success thus far. Grafting with feed store chicks can be challenging for all the reasons you expressed.

But, in my experience, you are not out of the woods yet. I have had losses several days down as the transition stress kicks in or somebody forgets yet again that momma is where safety is and wanders off to get over chilled. I keep a watchful eye the first week before I breathe a complete sigh of relief and feel total success.

Keeping Chick Starter in the water can help with the early stress sown with rumpled appearance...which I've suspicioned either bacterial overgrowth or even Coccidiosis at play.I think the feed store chicks are especially susceptible to it when they transition to hen brooding as none of my hatchlings ever have those problems.

Congratulations again.
LofMc
 
Thanks Lady Of McCamley,
I will keep a watchful eye on them and look out for any signs that you mentioned.
I am impressed with their vigor and vitality. Especially since they did have that long trip from Texas to California. They are doing gymnastics off of poor little Taffys back.
smile.png
It seems like this breed is very hardy from what I have seen so far. They were not even scared of the lf when they got out, and my Jersey Giant Penny is really just that, a giant! In a couple days they will be too big to squeeze thru the chicken wire. In the mean time I am on guard and watching.
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I candled today and all eggs r doing great!! All still living 6 days for 1 tiny batch and 1 week for another tiny batch. And 2 weeks for 1 egg under another broody!
 
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This Friday I am getting my BO some baby chicks from my local feed store! We useually have our BA raise the chicks so this will be her first time!
Any chick breed suggestions?
 
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I think Nessie needs a more calm situation. She decided to go broody in the largest and, of course, most popular nesting box. Now that I know she's serious about hatching some babies (plucked out feathers from breast to belly), she needs to go somewhere that isn't being disturbed by numerous other hens on a daily basis, not to mention they are adding eggs to her clutch every day.

We have a partitioned area in the coop, but I'm jut wondering how she'll take to being moved inside for that long. Our coop is raised up off the ground so it won't be easy for her to go outside and come back in at will. Maybe I should put up a temporary fence around the nesting box she's in (it stands alone). Any ideas or suggestions?

Our run for them is about 2500 square feet, so the other chickens won't be crowded or anything if I fence off a part of it. Plus, they free range for a portion of every day.
 
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