Broody Hen Thread!

[the poppster]

Had an odd thing happen. Anastasia went broody for the third time this year. I work 12 hr days and by the time I got to mark eggs there were 11 under her. Anyway when I checked yesterday 3 were hatched and 3 pipped. This morning there was 5 hatched and one in which nearly the whole shell was gone and I could see baby wiggling in the membranes. I thought, must be shrink-wrapped. But I picked it up and was able to easily peel the membranes away. They were not stuck to the chick. Would mom have removed all that shell? And I wonder if I left it alone would she have removed the membrane? Never seen that before. Fascinating.

My broody is at the bottom of the pecking order. Will she still keep them away?

Do chickens go broody together?
I have a standard Cochin and a Silkie that are sitting in the box together and chaae off the rest of the chickens when they go to the other boxes. it's annoying. I've been taking them off the box and locking them outside with the rest to range but they try to get back in the coop anyway they can.
Thanks

Ha!! I've got the same Broody Duo...going on, the take turns warming the chicks...when one calls all the babies come running.

 

[Honora]

Well, I guess everything was too good to be true. My 2 broodies hatched out 5 chicks, & then yesterday I gave them the 3 chicks we hatched in the incubator and everything seemed fine. This morning, though, I woke up & heard some upset cheeping from the broody coop. I opened the door & 2 of the incubator chicks were away from the hens & all the other chicks.

I moved them over to the hens, and one of the hens started attacking the yellow chick. I moved it away form her but she started attacking it again a few minutes later. The same thing happened 3 times so I decided to move him inside.

The yellow chick is a bright color that stands out from all the other chicks, so I guess the broody realized he wasn't hers. I brought in one of the other chicks to keep yellow company.

My husband wants to try putting the yellow chick back with the hens again tonight, but I think it's a lost cause. Any ideas?

 

[Bejammie]

I wouldnt risk his life, I think hes rejected.

 

[blkjak]

I wouldnt risk it.

 

[SIMZ]

Well, I guess everything was too good to be true. My 2 broodies hatched out 5 chicks, & then yesterday I gave them the 3 chicks we hatched in the incubator and everything seemed fine. This morning, though, I woke up & heard some upset cheeping from the broody coop. I opened the door & 2 of the incubator chicks were away from the hens & all the other chicks.

I moved them over to the hens, and one of the hens started attacking the yellow chick. I moved it away form her but she started attacking it again a few minutes later. The same thing happened 3 times so I decided to move him inside.

The yellow chick is a bright color that stands out from all the other chicks, so I guess the broody realized he wasn't hers. I brought in one of the other chicks to keep yellow company.

My husband wants to try putting the yellow chick back with the hens again tonight, but I think it's a lost cause. Any ideas?

I had a hen kill a yellow chick that I tried slipping under her one night. It was newly hatched and only one day after she hatched her own. Her other chicks were black and I think that one just stood out as an imposter to her. So, I wouldn't risk it since she's already attacking it.

 

[Honora]

I had a hen kill a yellow chick that I tried slipping under her one night. It was newly hatched and only one day after she hatched her own. Her other chicks were black and I think that one just stood out as an imposter to her. So, I wouldn't risk it since she's already attacking it.

Wow, sorry to hear that. I didn't realize yellow chicks were so hated by broodies! The other chicks are various shades of gray, black & brown so the yellow one did stand out a lot. Oh well, I guess little yellow will be inside with us and with a buddy. At least they accepted the other 2 incubator chicks.

 

[SIMZ]

Wow, sorry to hear that. I didn't realize yellow chicks were so hated by broodies! The other chicks are various shades of gray, black & brown so the yellow one did stand out a lot. Oh well, I guess little yellow will be inside with us and with a buddy. At least they accepted the other 2 incubator chicks.

I don't think they are hated, but in my case, that yellow one must have stuck out to her as different. I've had broodies raise yellow chicks with no problems. Again, I think it was just the issue of trying to sneak in a very different looking chick than what she knew she had.

 

[Sonya9]

My husband wants to try putting the yellow chick back with the hens again tonight, but I think it's a lost cause. Any ideas?

I wouldn't risk it either, you will feel really awful if the chick dies as a result of trying again and I doubt if it would work.

Probably too late but I have to wonder if some brown non-toxic dye would have done the trick (like the kind they sell for dogs).

 

[Alex1010]

My BA Broody Hatches Her Eggs In 7 Days! I Can't Wait

 

[Sonya9]

Couple of questions about broody behavior. I have two older OEG Bantam Hens (6 years or so). One raised a clutch of 2 standard laying chicks and the babies are now about 5 months old and huge (3 times the size of their broody). She doesn't really call them anymore but the three are still thick as thieves, she follows them and pals around with them all over the large run and they still sleep together at night. With winter she is not likely to go broody again this year, is it common for them to maintain close relationships with their adolescent chicks?

Second question -- I also have a 3 year old Buff Orp hen that has never gone broody yet she appears to mother both of the same chicks. She has clucked to them as if calling them for food and both chicks cuddle up to her at night, one likes to snuggle underneath her and is sometimes under her wing. The buff is at the top of the pecking order which makes her kindness to the pullets even sweeter. Is it common for non-broody hens to show what appears to be nurturing instincts towards older chicks?