Broody Hen Thread!

[Doc Roger]

Thank-You, I have put chick feed and water out where she/chicks can feed. I wish it wasn't so cold and rainy. She has to stay on them almost all the time. Sun came out yesterday and she brought them out while it was warm-60'.
She won't let the other chickens to get to close. Clucks and puffs up like a turkey!
seems to know so I won't interfere/. Thank-You This has not happened to me before.
Hope she will bring them into the coop to roost, would be easier for her.

 

[aart]

Thank-You, I have put chick feed and water out where she/chicks can feed. I wish it wasn't so cold and rainy. She has to stay on them almost all the time. Sun came out yesterday and she brought them out while it was warm-60'.
She won't let the other chickens to get to close. Clucks and puffs up like a turkey!
seems to know so I won't interfere/. Thank-You This has not happened to me before.
Hope she will bring them into the coop to roost, would be easier for her.

Can they easily get into the coop?
Is there a safe place for them to settle down in the coop?
Maybe set up a nest box just for them?

 

[Doc Roger]

Can they easily get into the coop?
Is there a safe place for them to settle down in the coop?
Maybe set up a nest box just for them?

I might try that today. Maybe a box on its side in the coop. At least they would be fenced in!

 

[aart]

Quote: That coop looks pretty small....might be harder to do especially if there's some hen fights over pecking order with her being gone for 3 weeks.

 

[TXchickenchick]

From what I have seen with my girls, a momma hen with her chicks is top of the pecking order. Period. Even my teeny tiny (only) bantam who is always close to the bottom was kicking rear and taking names. Nobody wants to mess with a momma hen!

 

[aart]

From what I have seen with my girls, a momma hen with her chicks is top of the pecking order. Period. Even my teeny tiny (only) bantam who is always close to the bottom was kicking rear and taking names. Nobody wants to mess with a momma hen!

My broody was pretty low in the order, so when she came back into the coop she had some knock down, drag out fights when she wouldn't submit to her prior superiors. I had to break up 3 fights, but they didn't do it again.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

My broody was pretty low in the order, so when she came back into the coop she had some knock down, drag out fights when she wouldn't submit to her prior superiors. I had to break up 3 fights, but they didn't do it again.

Did she brood, hatch and raise in the flock or was she apart from them for those steps?

 

[aart]

Quote: She was separated by wire from the main flock. I took down the wire at about 2 weeks, would have done it at about a week if it hadn't been so bitter cold.

 

[Doc Roger]

That coop is small, but I have another next to it. I made and put a box similar to your pic and put bedding in it. Its out close to wear she is nesting. If she will go in with chicks,I will bring them inside the chicken yard. I don't believe the others will bother as she puffs up and clucks loudly if they get close.

 

[Sonya9]

HELP!!
My Austerlorp pullet went broody and ran into a juniper thicket! 21 days later emerged with 6 chicks!
I want to get her back into the coop/ yard. Should I take them away and put them under a headlamp? Or let her continue to do her thing??

Definitely don't take the babies away from her! She will keep them warm (and she earned those chicks).

Mama hens are the experts at raising little ones, you will be amazed to see how fast the chicks progress compared to those kept in a brooder. The babies are also so very quiet and content when sleeping under a real live hen.