Broody Hen Thread!

[chickbrad24]

My broody is almost a mom. 1 week till hatch day!! Every egg I have set have been fertile except for 1 in the bator!!

That's so exciting I also have about a week left for my 3 broodies. I have no idea what I am going to do with all the baby chicks !

 

[lacymorgan]

That's so exciting I also have about a week left for my 3 broodies. I have no idea what I am going to do with all the baby chicks !

So what breeds are you hatching?? And congrats on the broodies. I am hoping to get some broody hens. I bought some Cochins for that

 

[Timily Farms]

I have three broodies right now. A silkie cross on 15 should be hatching tomorrow or the next day. Then one cochin on 9 and a welsummer bantam on 10. The eggs could be a mixture of welsummer, white and black cochin and silkie cross bantams. I have 3 Ameracauna eggs the I am hoping are fertilized by my chocolate orpington bantam rooster

 

[lacymorgan]

I have three broodies right now. A silkie cross on 15 should be hatching tomorrow or the next day. Then one cochin on 9 and a welsummer bantam on 10. The eggs could be a mixture of welsummer, white and black cochin and silkie cross bantams. I have 3 Ameracauna eggs the I am hoping are fertilized by my chocolate orpington bantam rooster

NIce variety. Not the breeds I am doing or I would buy some if they were for sale. Keep us posted excited to see what happens

 

[chickbrad24]

So what breeds are you hatching?? And congrats on the broodies. I am hoping to get some broody hens. I bought some Cochins for that

I am hatching out EE's and EE crosses. So the crosses could be EE with SLW, GLW, BLRW, BO and Jersey Giants or Buff Brahma. I just wanted more EE's but when I looked there were other eggs in with them and I've been so busy I was not able to take them out. But I am excited to see what the chicks will look like.

 

[lacymorgan]

I am hatching out EE's and EE crosses. So the crosses could be EE with SLW, GLW, BLRW, BO and Jersey Giants or Buff Brahma. I just wanted more EE's but when I looked there were other eggs in with them and I've been so busy I was not able to take them out. But I am excited to see what the chicks will look like.

post some pics when they hatch fingers crossed for both of you

 

[chickbrad24]

post some pics when they hatch fingers crossed for both of you

I will post pictures when they hatch. If I can get close all 3 Hens are mean little buggers.

 

[beachervins]

We have a broody golden laced polish/silkie mix who is sitting on 7 eggs (and anywhere between 1-4 golf balls at any given time). She is on day 18 today and has started hoarding the other chickens eggs. She hasn't really been doing this until yesterday and today. I'm hoping that means the eggs will be hatching shortly.

I was out of town and couldn't candle, this is my absolute FIRST hatch from a broody. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I am including a picture of the setup she is in. I didn't move her. I only have 5 hens (including her) in the coop. (She is sitting on purchased fertile eggs.)

The laying boxes have an open space behind them and she can move between the boxes. Do I need to create some type of ramp for the chicks? Should I move them? We have a grow-out coop I could use if needed.

Appreciate the help!
Monica

This is the inside of the coop. She is in the second laying box from the left.


This is outside the coop.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

We have a broody golden laced polish/silkie mix who is sitting on 7 eggs (and anywhere between 1-4 golf balls at any given time). She is on day 18 today and has started hoarding the other chickens eggs. She hasn't really been doing this until yesterday and today. I'm hoping that means the eggs will be hatching shortly.

I was out of town and couldn't candle, this is my absolute FIRST hatch from a broody. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I am including a picture of the setup she is in. I didn't move her. I only have 5 hens (including her) in the coop. (She is sitting on purchased fertile eggs.)

The laying boxes have an open space behind them and she can move between the boxes. Do I need to create some type of ramp for the chicks? Should I move them? We have a grow-out coop I could use if needed.

Appreciate the help!
Monica

This is the inside of the coop. She is in the second laying box from the left.


This is outside the coop.

Really cute coop and set up, BTW.

With only 5 hens, and since she doesn't seem disturbed by the others, I think you have a good chance of her raising the chicks in the flock...but have a Plan B if momma and other hens are not getting along well...chicks can get tramped in the process. I personally prefer to always separate my broody and chicks since I purchase fertile eggs, often of expensive breeds, so I cannot afford a learning "oops."

Yes, build a little ramp. They might be confused the first day or two in what to do once momma take them out. If so, momma will set up camp downstairs...but watch as she might still go upstairs with half and the slower to catch on babies might get stranded out below (and chilled).

Crawl around at bird eye level and see if there are ANY tiny holes that a chick could squeeze through and get stranded. It is sad but true that they can figure out how to get out but never how to get in. Bird netting works really good to plug up crevices and crannies that silly chicks can strand themselves in. Ditto for the egg box area.

Good luck on your first hatch! And post photos!
LofMc

EDITED TO ADD: Oops, almost forgot to mention. You have flock feed right there for all to eat. You will need to put them all on chick start and leave out oyster shell or calcite grit for the layers. Layer feed is harmful to chicks as it has too much calcium which will hurt their kidneys. So you will need to put all on chick feed (non-medicated if you are concerned about the Amprolium in eggs...which many of us eat anyway), or go to a flock raiser, but that often doesn't have as much vitamin supplement for chicks.

And make sure our water is not deep enough for chicks to stumble into and face plant and drown. Marbles in the rim bottom work well if it is too big or deep. I've personally never had issues with quart size waterers for chicks, and some of the gallon size have small enough rims they are often not an issue.

 

[UrbanFarmOC]

Quote: Super eggsciting! I have a broody for the first time and I just love watching her. My 7 month old Swedish Flower Hen is sitting on eggs fertilized by my horny 7 month old Salmon Faverolles rooster (was supposed to be a hen). She's on day 10 right now. I'm excited and fascinated by the process (except for the super stinky giant broody poops) and am eager to see what the crosses look like. I haven't candled the eggs to check for activity. I figure I'll let Mother Nature take care of most of the process. However, if I catch her leaving the nest again, I will try to candle them. She's sitting on 7 eggs total, and I'm having fun giving names to the mixes: 2 EE eggs, 2 Lavender Ameraucanas (Favacauna), 1 Euskal Oiloa / Basque (Basquerolle?), 1 SF and one of her own (Swedish Faverolle?)

I've been stalking this thread and I thank you all for the info and all the cute pics.