Broody Hen Thread!

[SIMZ]

To start with if you got Any chicken thats bleeding----you should separate it ASAP or it can,be pecked to death. The mother hen is not usually going to "DO" anything. In Nature----before Man penned the chickens up-----the weaker, hurt chicken could run off and Hide---to get away from more hurt. In your pen----you will have to control this or loose a chicken or two. I would separate each one till they heal-----then "I" would get rid of the ones I was not planning to keep like the "trouble" maker..

They're free ranging with plenty of room to get away from one another. They're only "penned" up at night when the hen takes them to their little coop to sleep. So that isn't the problem. They just don't seem to want to back down. I figured I'd have to get rid of the trouble maker if they start up again today, but it just seems so young for that. I should have clarified that they're not bloody enough to separate, but they're drawing some blood on their combs.

They're doing ok so far this morning and peacefully coexisting. All look good and the little man in question has both eyes wide open and looks fine. I've had to deal with overly aggressive cockerels at 8 weeks but not this early, so it threw me off.

Thanks!

 

[DomesticDiva12]

Hello! I am completely clueless on this broody hen business. We moved last week Monday, Wednesday when I checked the hens (several times) I discovered my black cochin had gone broody. When we moved the chickens on Thursday our broody stayed on her nest the entire move and though she went and explored the new coop upon arrival she settled back down onto her eggs and had been a really good mommy these last few days, staying on her pretty much constantly. A few questions,
1) should I candle them or will she know which eggs are bad? I found an eggshell in the nest so some of the eggs are a little dirty, should I clean the eggs and nesting material? Or will that bother them too much? I made a very quick, gentle, attempt at candling yesterday with a flashlight and the egg was about a third dark.
2) we moved to a neighborhood where I didn't feel comfortable keeping our rooster so I rehomed him on June 9, she started sitting anywhere from June 15-17 I think (it is possible she sat a few days earlier, things were hectic with the move so for those last few days I fed/watered quick and was out, my kids were 'responsible' for collecting the eggs lol). Should the eggs still be fertile?
3) egg production has been way down. I finally got a chance to mark them on Saturday (8 of them) but I worry some of my hens snuck some eggs under her after she started sitting, will it matter if some eggs are a few days behind the rest?
4) is it okay to leave her with the other hens? I am letting her sit because we got rid of the rooster so I figure it may be our last chance to hatch our own but with just moving I just don't have the time or funds to build her a separate area that is safe and secure. They haven't seemed to bother her thus far other than occasionally I see another hen sitting next to her for a short time.

I am sure I will have more questions lol but if anyone can tell me the basics that would be great. I wasn't expecting to ever hatch under a broody hen

 

[katekearby]

yes I have 2 questions, Is it normal for the other hens to pick on the broody one? and 'fertilized eggs from the grocery store'? wouldn't they be past incubating?

 

[DomesticDiva12]

Also, I am wondering if I will be able to tell which chick is which after they hatch. Out of the 8 my easter egger managed to get 3 of her eggs under my broody lol, 1 egg is from my orpington hen so that chick will be purebred orpington, 1 egg from my cuckoo maran, the other 3 are from my cochins though one may be from my orpington. I have two cochins, one blue, one black.
Will the cochin/orpington chicks have feathered feet? Easter egger/orpingtons have green/grey legs? Maran/orpington have barring?

 

[aart]

yes I have 2 questions, Is it normal for the other hens to pick on the broody one? and 'fertilized eggs from the grocery store'? wouldn't they be past incubating?

Many folks have had success hatching out 'fertilized eggs from the grocery store'...there's a whole long thread about it here if you search for it.

Describe 'picking on the broody' in more detail.

 

[HighStreetCoop]

and 'fertilized eggs from the grocery store'? wouldn't they be past incubating?

Nope. Lots of people hatching these. Mine have a Julian date of 168, so they were laid on June 17th. Four day old eggs have a very good chance of being viable.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...cery-store-egg-hatching-club-are-you-a-member

Worst case scenario is they don't hatch and I get her some chicks from the farm supply.

 

[aart]

Hello! I am completely clueless on this broody hen business. We moved last week Monday, Wednesday when I checked the hens (several times) I discovered my black cochin had gone broody. When we moved the chickens on Thursday our broody stayed on her nest the entire move and though she went and explored the new coop upon arrival she settled back down onto her eggs and had been a really good mommy these last few days, staying on her pretty much constantly. A few questions,
1) should I candle them or will she know which eggs are bad? I found an eggshell in the nest so some of the eggs are a little dirty, should I clean the eggs and nesting material? Or will that bother them too much? I made a very quick, gentle, attempt at candling yesterday with a flashlight and the egg was about a third dark.
2) we moved to a neighborhood where I didn't feel comfortable keeping our rooster so I rehomed him on June 9, she started sitting anywhere from June 15-17 I think (it is possible she sat a few days earlier, things were hectic with the move so for those last few days I fed/watered quick and was out, my kids were 'responsible' for collecting the eggs lol). Should the eggs still be fertile?
3) egg production has been way down. I finally got a chance to mark them on Saturday (8 of them) but I worry some of my hens snuck some eggs under her after she started sitting, will it matter if some eggs are a few days behind the rest?
4) is it okay to leave her with the other hens? I am letting her sit because we got rid of the rooster so I figure it may be our last chance to hatch our own but with just moving I just don't have the time or funds to build her a separate area that is safe and secure. They haven't seemed to bother her thus far other than occasionally I see another hen sitting next to her for a short time.

I am sure I will have more questions lol but if anyone can tell me the basics that would be great. I wasn't expecting to ever hatch under a broody hen

1. If there was a broken egg in the nest it should be cleaned out, maybe do it while she's on her daily eat, drink, poop outing.
You can candle if you want, but it's not necessary and probably best to leave her be unless absolutely necessary.

2. Good chance eggs are still fertile. A mating can last 2-3 weeks, the longer the less chance.

3. Egg production is probably down because of the stress of the move, it'll come back up in time.
Best to give a broody all fresh eggs and remove any newly laid each day. In your situation you'll probably just have to play it by eye and see what happens.
If she hatches out some and then brings the chicks off the nest at about 2-3 days, abandoning any egg(s) left, you can either put them in an incubator or dispose of them.

4. It can work out just fine leaving her with the flock, again play it by eye. If she gets harassed too much maybe put some fencing around her nest to protect her.

Also, I am wondering if I will be able to tell which chick is which after they hatch. Out of the 8 my easter egger managed to get 3 of her eggs under my broody lol, 1 egg is from my orpington hen so that chick will be purebred orpington, 1 egg from my cuckoo maran, the other 3 are from my cochins though one may be from my orpington. I have two cochins, one blue, one black.
Will the cochin/orpington chicks have feathered feet? Easter egger/orpingtons have green/grey legs? Maran/orpington have barring?

I don't think Orps have feathered feet....the rest are a crap shoot, will be interesting trying to ID the crosses.

Best of cLuck!

 

[TXchickenchick]

Also, I am wondering if I will be able to tell which chick is which after they hatch. Out of the 8 my easter egger managed to get 3 of her eggs under my broody lol, 1 egg is from my orpington hen so that chick will be purebred orpington, 1 egg from my cuckoo maran, the other 3 are from my cochins though one may be from my orpington. I have two cochins, one blue, one black.
Will the cochin/orpington chicks have feathered feet? Easter egger/orpingtons have green/grey legs? Maran/orpington have barring?

As Forest Gump says, Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get. Lol

This pic shows three of mine hatched from the same rooster/hen pair. They are from a buff laced polish roo and a white naked neck hen. Two have slate legs like the roo. One has yellow like the hen. Two are naked neck, one feather neck. These barnyard mixes are like a christmas present every time an egg hatches! Lol

 

[svfarm]

Well one of my problems is solved.

It's a good thing these two are buddies.

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Well one of my problems is solved.


It's a good thing these two are buddies.

My first two broodies seem to be co-raising the chicks I gave them. They are nesting side by side and freely sharing the six chicks between them.