Broody Hen Thread!

[hmbrown05]

My broody (first timer) moved off of the three eggs I gave her at some point yesterday and relocated to another nest :/ I found them around 8pm, but it was 95F here yesterday and it stays pretty warm in the little house. I poked them back under her and today have blocked off access to the other nests and relocated the rest of the juvenilles to the "big" house to give her some privacy. Any thoughts on whether or not those eggs got too cold? She was only 4 days in to setting these...

She has been nest hopping for the last few weeks and I can't seem to break her from brooding (not to mention I would loe some more chicks) so trying to make her stay put and hatch some babies before she kills herself brooding...

 

[PD-Riverman]

My broody (first timer) moved off of the three eggs I gave her at some point yesterday and relocated to another nest

I found them around 8pm, but it was 95F here yesterday and it stays pretty warm in the little house. I poked them back under her and today have blocked off access to the other nests and relocated the rest of the juvenilles to the "big" house to give her some privacy. Any thoughts on whether or not those eggs got too cold? She was only 4 days in to setting these...

She has been nest hopping for the last few weeks and I can't seem to break her from brooding (not to mention I would loe some more chicks) so trying to make her stay put and hatch some babies before she kills herself brooding...

Breaking her is no problem, Nest hopping is usually caused by other hens getting in her nest----if she goes to eat/drink/etc----when she comes back her nest is taken so she gets in another one and repeats this over and over. The way to fix that is to Properly move her to a private--one nest box pen. Moving her is no problem usually if done properly. We can tell you how if you want. Sounds as though she has been setting for weeks-----if you move her to a private pen----wheather she will stay on the new eggs for 3 more weeks is according to the hen.

I had a 1st time Lavender Orp that wanted to set so I stuck a few of her eggs I had been collecting in her nest----her pen is shared by her Rooster/partner. A week later she decided she did not want to set anymore----She was off the nest early in the morning---I figured getting some food and water------I checked in on her late that evening and she was off the nest----I checked her 5 eggs---all cold. I went and put them in the incubator which was already running----a few days later I candled them----2 looked good so I removed the other 3---those 2 hatched so even though the eggs get cold does not mean they will not hatch.

 

[katatonic123]

Definitely had an early quitter. Took it out. Have 8 set to hatch Fri/Sat.

 

[sophiaw00]

I think my faverolle hen is going broody. As a chick, she was the last to develop but she was the first to lay an egg. She is now 25 weeks and lays almost every day.

I caught her sleeping in the box tonight. I don't mind her being broody, even though she won't get to hatch out any eggs until next spring.

I do have a few questions though.

How long will she be broody for?
When I do allow her to hatch out eggs, how do I give her specific eggs? I only want babies from a few select hens. Do I just put the eggs I want to hatch in the next under her?
Will she sit on them for the full 21 days?
What do I do if she abandons the nest?

 

[lilbeastpdx]

I think my faverolle hen is going broody. As a chick, she was the last to develop but she was the first to lay an egg. She is now 25 weeks and lays almost every day.

I caught her sleeping in the box tonight. I don't mind her being broody, even though she won't get to hatch out any eggs until next spring.

I do have a few questions though.

How long will she be broody for?
When I do allow her to hatch out eggs, how do I give her specific eggs? I only want babies from a few select hens. Do I just put the eggs I want to hatch in the next under her?
Will she sit on them for the full 21 days?
What do I do if she abandons the nest?

Can I x2 this?

My 25-week-old easter egger just started laying three weeks ago--about 6 little green eggs a week! Then about twelve days ago, she was going broody, sitting on the fake eggs (2) as I collected the real ones all day and all night. I kept picking her up and putting her in another location and she stopped this behavior after two or three days. But now, she isn't laying AT ALL. I have three other hens that are too young to lay, no roosters.

Questions:

-Is what I described above actually what is called broody? I'm new.
-Is it normal for a young pullet of 25 weeks to go broody so soon after she started laying?
-Now that she is no longer sitting on the nest, is it normal for her to not lay? It's been seven days, and she was laying almost daily.
-Will she lay again, and if so, how long will it take in general?

So weird to have three weeks of cute little green eggs, and now, nothing.

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[katatonic123]

@lilbeastpdx I have a little hen who is 25 weeks today. Her first clutch should hatch fri/sat. She laid about 2-3 weeks before she started exhibiting broody behavior. Tried breaking her but being at work all day then gone for 3 days it was just easier to let her sit.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Tried breaking her but being at work all day then gone for 3 days it was just easier to let her sit.

If I have one going broody and I do not want her to set----I just put her in a elevated wire bottom cage with food and water----no bedding. In about 3 days---she is over it---simple. Taking them out the nest a few times a day does not usually work.

 

[lilbeastpdx]

@lilbeastpdx I have a little hen who is 25 weeks today. Her first clutch should hatch fri/sat. She laid about 2-3 weeks before she started exhibiting broody behavior. Tried breaking her but being at work all day then gone for 3 days it was just easier to let her sit.

Wow! Okay--I just didn't realize how young they could be. And such a bummer for me since her egg laying has stopped. I hope it starts up again soon. I have no fertile eggs since I have no rooster.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Wow! Okay--I just didn't realize how young they could be. And such a bummer for me since her egg laying has stopped. I hope it starts up again soon. I have no fertile eggs since I have no rooster.

If she is acting broody----did you break her from the broodiness? Or she is still setting?

 

[sophiaw00]

My hen sits on the nest at night but not during the day anymore. She usually roosts but has been sleeping in the nest the last 3 days. Why is that?