Broody Hen Thread!

[fisherlady]

It hatched!!!!!!! I finally have a chick from my red sex link after 8 fails. And oh my god it's cute. It's so round and fuzzy. Ahhhh! I'm so happy!

Congrats!!

 

[alibabba]

It hatched!!!!!!! I finally have a chick from my red sex link after 8 fails. And oh my god it's cute. It's so round and fuzzy. Ahhhh! I'm so happy!

yay!!!!

 

[alibabba]

Heart failure this am.... Sunflower was off the nest, I expect the worst all the time...

I expect to see nest ravaged by big hens...

nope. The first pip is bigger, saw beak and movement!

3 more pips! (didn't pick up, so not sure about other 2)

She just took a 5 min break, barely long enough for me to get the kids to take a peek.


I know this is probably annoying, but this is our first time. So exciting and scary...


I am going to move her covered cat litter box to a little pen when they all hatch, before they run around the box and draw attention from big hens.

Question: I shouldn't move it now should I? Wait til they all hatch....Rather than disturb the process and the little momma? If she abandons after the move, okay, I can deal with that. But I don't have an incubator yet.

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Heart failure this am.... Sunflower was off the nest, I expect the worst all the time...

I expect to see nest ravaged by big hens...

nope. The first pip is bigger, saw beak and movement!

3 more pips! (didn't pick up, so not sure about other 2)

She just took a 5 min break, barely long enough for me to get the kids to take a peek.


I know this is probably annoying, but this is our first time. So exciting and scary...


I am going to move her covered cat litter box to a little pen when they all hatch, before they run around the box and draw attention from big hens.

Question: I shouldn't move it now should I? Wait til they all hatch....Rather than disturb the process and the little momma? If she abandons after the move, okay, I can deal with that. But I don't have an incubator yet.

Not annoying to me! I have my first chicks right now and it's fascinating.

 

[fisherlady]

Heart failure this am.... Sunflower was off the nest, I expect the worst all the time...

I expect to see nest ravaged by big hens...

nope. The first pip is bigger, saw beak and movement!

3 more pips! (didn't pick up, so not sure about other 2)

She just took a 5 min break, barely long enough for me to get the kids to take a peek.


I know this is probably annoying, but this is our first time. So exciting and scary...


I am going to move her covered cat litter box to a little pen when they all hatch, before they run around the box and draw attention from big hens.

Question: I shouldn't move it now should I? Wait til they all hatch....Rather than disturb the process and the little momma? If she abandons after the move, okay, I can deal with that. But I don't have an incubator yet.

I have never had trouble moving a hen once they have a couple hatched, if she is in a box which can be moved to a new site without moving her from the nest you shouldn't have any trouble, I do cover the opening with a towel though when I do it, and remove the towel after the nest box is settled in it's new spot.
Just make sure the move is planned... are there any doors you have to open or other obstacles? If there are, then you should have a second person help so that once you pick up her box you carry it straight to the new location with minimal jostling.

 

[aart]

Quote: Good advise on moving....but why move them?
Mama will protect them and if she hasn't had any trouble from the flock while she's been setting, unlikely to have any now.
That's the best part of a broody, IMO, that she integrates the chicks into the flock.

 

[fisherlady]

Ok...cuteness alert...

Yesterday was beautiful in our neck of Penns woods and I opened up the pop door to let the 2 latest broody hens out with their 4 day olds. They have been in their 6x6 broody stall since hatch since the weather has been so horrible and these are both 1st time broodies so we wanted to watch them the first few days...
The Littles weren't too sure about this outside stuff at first...
It looks scary out there!


But eventually the mama hen calls got them out...

They got to explore a bit and checked out the rocks...

cross posting a few pictures I got yesterday

 

[fisherlady]

And more

They met their new hero...One of our roosters



And learned that mom calling means goodies!


I'd say they had a good day out!

And it was nice to see the rest of the birds being able to lounge in the sun for a change!

 

[alibabba]

Not annoying to me! I have my first chicks right now and it's fascinating.

Ha ha, cool! I can't believe....just how fascinating!

 

[alibabba]

Good advise on moving....but why move them?
Mama will protect them and if she hasn't had any trouble from the flock while she's been setting, unlikely to have any now.
That's the best part of a broody, IMO, that she integrates the chicks into the flock.

Thanks for the encouragement.

The main thing thing I forget about is that I have had Marek's in the flock, so I will vaccinate these babies, but don't want to challenge them with more virus than their moms might be shedding immediately.


I think all would be well, the big girls are not really bullies in general, more talk than action. All free range. They check out the babies in other pens once, then completely ignore them.

Kind of easier just to move her. And I won't have to watch them every minute.... HA! Like I won't be watching them every minute anyway!!

It's a big drop off the shed with an unfinished porch area... I could rig something up there....and maybe a board so the chicks don't run in the poop from the roosts (yuck)...