Broody Hen Thread!

[fisherlady]

Hi everyone!

I have three broody hens with chicks. They're in a "broody tri-plex" that we made and thought would work, but it's not working. The chicks are getting through the fence and getting stuck in the neighboring pens. Unfortunately, I can't make it work for all three hens. Two of the hens hatched their chicks a few days ago, so I'm thinking of giving all the chicks to one of those hens and removing the other hen (after dark). While I hate to do it, it seems to be the best solution right now.

Before I do that I have questions:

Will the other chicks accept the new hen as "mom"?

Should I put the other hen back in the coop or into a separate cage for a few days until she's no longer broody?

Thanks.

I agree with PD-Riverman... simplest to leave them in their individual nests if they are comfortable their and just add cardboard or other inexpensive material to the bottom 6-12" of the dividing fences until the chicks are big enough to not get through it. I also use the 1/2" hardware cloth as my preferred fencing for anywhere chicks are involved, but other material will work until you can make adjustments.

 

[SIMZ]

I agree with PD-Riverman... simplest to leave them in their individual nests if they are comfortable their and just add cardboard or other inexpensive material to the bottom 6-12" of the dividing fences until the chicks are big enough to not get through it. I also use the 1/2" hardware cloth as my preferred fencing for anywhere chicks are involved, but other material will work until you can make adjustments.

Thanks to you and PD-Riverman! I'd like to do what is simplest and best for all. Because of how it's set up, it's going to be difficult (for me, anyway) to make it chick-proof without confining them to the inside of the hutch they're in. I'd rather not do that. Although, if the chicks won't adjust to the other hen right away I'll have to figure something else out.

Do you know if they'll adjust to the new hen? They're 3 days old.

 

[fisherlady]

Thanks to you and PD-Riverman! I'd like to do what is simplest and best for all. Because of how it's set up, it's going to be difficult (for me, anyway) to make it chick-proof without confining them to the inside of the hutch they're in. I'd rather not do that. Although, if the chicks won't adjust to the other hen right away I'll have to figure something else out.

Do you know if they'll adjust to the new hen? They're 3 days old.

They may adjust, but it is getting rather iffy for them, age wise, and the hens may object, which would make matters even worse. To try switching them around after they have come off of the nest isn't easy and would need a very accommodating hen. you need to consider if you feel the risks are worth it or if confining them somewhere for a few hours while you make changes to the fencing is a better choice for them.

Yes you can break the broody who would no longer have chicks, it may take her a few weeks to get 'back to normal', there is a very slight chance she would return to a broody stage in short order though, messing with hen hormones is far from an exact science.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Thanks to you and PD-Riverman! I'd like to do what is simplest and best for all. Because of how it's set up, it's going to be difficult (for me, anyway) to make it chick-proof without confining them to the inside of the hutch they're in. I'd rather not do that. Although, if the chicks won't adjust to the other hen right away I'll have to figure something else out.

Do you know if they'll adjust to the new hen? They're 3 days old.

I do not know if the other hen will accept the-----or Kill them----its acording to the hen. I personally would not take the chicks away from the mother hen---unless the hen was acting up-------mainly because "I" would feel bad doing that-----she set for 3 weeks to hatch them. I am going to let her have them atleast a few weeks.


I do not know your pen set-up, but you can rip up old bed sheets--and clip them around the wire with clothes pens---lay some rocks on them to hold to the dirt----???

 

[SIMZ]

They may adjust, but it is getting rather iffy for them, age wise, and the hens may object, which would make matters even worse. To try switching them around after they have come off of the nest isn't easy and would need a very accommodating hen. you need to consider if you feel the risks are worth it or if confining them somewhere for a few hours while you make changes to the fencing is a better choice for them.

Yes you can break the broody who would no longer have chicks, it may take her a few weeks to get 'back to normal', there is a very slight chance she would return to a broody stage in short order though, messing with hen hormones is far from an exact science.

Ok! Thank you! That's what I needed to know. If the hen may not accept the chicks then figuring out new housing is certainly easier.

 

[SIMZ]

I do not know if the other hen will accept the-----or Kill them----its acording to the hen. I personally would not take the chicks away from the mother hen---unless the hen was acting up-------mainly because "I" would feel bad doing that-----she set for 3 weeks to hatch them. I am going to let her have them atleast a few weeks.


I do not know your pen set-up, but you can rip up old bed sheets--and clip them around the wire with clothes pens---lay some rocks on them to hold to the dirt----???

Yes, I know what you mean about feeling horrible. Once I took 3 week old chicks from a broody and that was very traumatic for all of us. I've learned from this to only let one broody raise chicks at a time.

 

[fisherlady]

Yes, I know what you mean about feeling horrible. Once I took 3 week old chicks from a broody and that was very traumatic for all of us. I've learned from this to only let one broody raise chicks at a time.

Each situation is different. I currently have 7 broodies with chicks all mixed into 2 coop areas, and 3 more setting on eggs. It can be done, and is dependent on bird personalities and a person's ability to adjust housing situations as needed to provide them the right environment for their situation. All of our hens hatch in individual areas, most get a few days of private time with their chicks to bond but some are out with the regular flock within a day or two of hatch (their choice) and many end up co-brooding with other hens who hatch around the same time. Yes there are a few hen fights, but they are short lived and as long as they have space to back away and regroup they seem to settle differences very quickly which benefits all of the chicks. Having one broody to watch out for you is great, having 2 or 3 broody moms is really cool for many of these chicks.
I do have a couple of hens who just don't like to co-brood, and that is fine, they have a private box available for night time, but even those broodies like to be out and about with the rest of the birds during the day.
Every situation is different, coop set ups can create limitations which sometimes just can't be practically overcome, sometimes other flock members just won't tolerate chicks and hen personalities are often the deciding factor... Evaluate each incident and go from there.

 

[TXchickenchick]

Hi everyone! 

I have three broody hens with chicks.  They're in a "broody tri-plex" that we made and thought would work, but it's not working.  The chicks are getting through the fence and getting stuck in the neighboring pens.  Unfortunately, I can't make it work for all three hens.  Two of the hens hatched their chicks a few days ago, so I'm thinking of giving all the chicks to one of those hens and removing the other hen (after dark).  While I hate to do it, it seems to be the best solution right now. 

Before I do that I have questions:

Will the other chicks accept the new hen as "mom"? 

Should I put the other hen back in the coop or into a separate cage for a few days until she's no longer broody? 

Thanks. 

Is there a reason they can't just be with the other chickens? I have had 3 broodies this year and all had their babies out with the flock at 2 to 3 days old. There is no way I would take a new momma hen's babies. A momma hen and a broody hen are two complete different animals. Her world completely revolves around those babies she worked so hard to get. I would make something work whatever it takes so each hen still has her little ones. And the best thing of all, when a mother hen raises chicks with the flock you never have integration issues. By the time she 'weans' them they are accepted by the rest of your birds and know their place. Good luck.

 

[Rose98]

Have a broody sitting on 8 eggs, candled them tonight and all 8 have veins and look about where they should be in development. i am up to day 12. But did notice that the formed part in 3 or 4 were floating around, instead of the normal beating that you can often see. Is that normal?

 

[MesMama]

This is one of my 4 section -----for 4 broodies. All you need is a place for a nesting box and some space she can stretch her legs, poop---- eat and drink----a dust bath would be nice. A place when the chicks hatch---they can not get out but can get back into the nesting box.

How do you close it up at night so nothing can dig under? I like this setup! It looks totally doable and not super complicated