Broody Hen Thread!

[casey197530]

I have a silkie that hatched one egg on new years eve. She laid like two eggs 9 weeks later and is broody again she has been this way for 6 weeks now and is sitting on nothing. She comes out to eat sometimes but is getting skinny how do I break her of this just for the time being she can go broody again in a couple months but I'm worried about her?

 

[Tdough13]

In my experience with silkies. If you let them hatch a few they will raise the chicks for 5-7 weeks and mine usually lay 3 weeks after hatching and when see finally runs of the babies she will continue to lay for another few weeks then want to brood again! Lol

So do you put her in a breaker every time she goes broody, or are you always hatching eggs?

 

[TiaRC]

So do you put her in a breaker every time she goes broody, or are you always hatching eggs?

I have multiple breeds of birds. Some of which don't brood in their nature. So I use my ridiculously broody silkies to hatch every time. And I will even graft chicks to her if I buy some. So she will snap out of it

 

[JetsChickens]

My Partridge Plymouth Rock hen is my first hen to seriously attempt brooding and I heard 3 of the 5 eggs chirping yesterday and today one had pipped and taken a decent amount of shell off the egg. The broody got off the nest though to run around for about 20 minutes outside, I was a little surprised because I thought she wasn't supposed to get off once they started hatching. She is back on now and occasionally talking to her eggs, but the egg that had pipped the chick wasn't chirping or moving... I didn't see it breathing, it was just really still and it's beak was closed (it pipped in the middle of the egg and I could see its beak). Should I be concerned? I know they are supposed to rest a lot while attempting to get out, but I was surprised not to see any motion, almost as surprised that she got off the nest while one was trying to hatch.

 

[VAchickies]

I have a silkie that hatched one egg on new years eve. She laid like two eggs 9 weeks later and is broody again she has been this way for 6 weeks now and is sitting on nothing. She comes out to eat sometimes but is getting skinny how do I break her of this just for the time being she can go broody again in a couple months but I'm worried about her?

Hello. What I would do is take her out of the coop and make her run around the yard with the other chickens. That's what I did with my silkie when I wanted her off the nest. If you find out that she got back on the nest, kick her off and shut the coop door until it's time to roost. Just make sure you have food available at all times so she'll fatten up.

 

[TiaRC]

My Partridge Plymouth Rock hen is my first hen to seriously attempt brooding and I heard 3 of the 5 eggs chirping yesterday and today one had pipped and taken a decent amount of shell off the egg.  The broody got off the nest though to run around for about 20 minutes outside, I was a little surprised because I thought she wasn't supposed to get off once they started hatching.  She is back on now and occasionally talking to her eggs, but the egg that had pipped the chick wasn't chirping or moving... I didn't see it breathing, it was just really still and it's beak was closed (it pipped in the middle of the egg and I could see its beak).  Should I be concerned?  I know they are supposed to rest a lot while attempting to get out, but I was surprised not to see any motion, almost as surprised that she got off the nest while one was trying to hatch.

Yes! Be concerned! Help it! Check it closely for movement and breathe. If there is none then it passed and remove it from the nest

 

[JetsChickens]

Yes! Be concerned! Help it! Check it closely for movement and breathe. If there is none then it passed and remove it from the nest

Thank you. It had already passed. I had wondered since I could see the beak, but no breathing or movement from the body.

 

[blkjak]

So went out to the coop and my broody cochin was off her eggs and had pooped in the nest again. Her chick was with her. I made the assumption she was finished so I took the eggs out and cleaned the poop out. Then I noticed a pip and heard a cheep. So I quickly gave her back the eggs and she quickly put them under her feathers. Heres hoping everything will be good.

 

[Sambi89]

Quote:
Honestly she probably knew it wasn't doing well before she got up. Maybe not but I always to an eggtopsy to see what was going on. Had it fully absorbed it's yolk and what not... Sorry about your loss. Here's hoping all the rest make it safely.

 

[TiaRC]

Sorry for your loss. Praying that the others hatch well