Broody Hen Thread!

[16 paws]

Hens are so darn unpredictable aren't they!? Its great that yours have gone broody! I thought I was onto something but she psyched me out!

Dont you worry wingitman,
I suspect she will be back at it soon.......

 

[PD-Riverman]

Thats a good approach , But how do you know which ones are fertile? or do you just throw a bunch under there and see what comes of it?


p.s so I finally bought a second hand incubator yesterday. I hear bellsouth is a good brand. took the abandoned eggs and threw them in there see if anything happens. I don't think they'll hatch though...shes been off them for like 2 days :|

If you have all your chickens running around together You will just have to put some eggs under her or the incubator and candle them in a week or so. I had my pens set-up with breeders, a few hens and a rooster---27 different breeds with some breeds in more than one pen----so fertile eggs from any of my breeds was no problem.

 

[SkunkWhisperer]

I'm sure this question has been answered (probably several times) in the 1000+ pages of posts to this thread. In the interest of efficiency, I hope someone will indulge me this once...


What's wrong with a hen being broody? I have no roosters and seven hens, one of whom loves sitting on everyone's eggs. I let her. She seems happy, so why not?

 

[wingitman]

I'm sure this question has been answered (probably several times) in the 1000+ pages of posts to this thread. In the interest of efficiency, I hope someone will indulge me this once...


What's wrong with a hen being broody? I have no roosters and seven hens, one of whom loves sitting on everyone's eggs. I let her. She seems happy, so why not?

Hi Skunkwhisperer, I'm guessing it's because broodiness is contagious and before you know it you may have a whole flock of broody hens who constantly want to sit on eggs. Which ofcourse is annoying if you only want eggs. I would seperate the broody hen and throw a rooster in with her so at least something could come of the broodiness. I personally prefer a broody hen because they're so d,arn hard to come by but its totally a matter of preference.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I'm sure this question has been answered (probably several times) in the 1000+ pages of posts to this thread. In the interest of efficiency, I hope someone will indulge me this once...


What's wrong with a hen being broody? I have no roosters and seven hens, one of whom loves sitting on everyone's eggs. I let her. She seems happy, so why not?

The way I look at it is like this-----thats your hen and you can allow her to set as long as you want---no matter what anyone coments here. Some hens will loose weight as they set---so "I" personally do not feel its healthy for a hen to set for months. "I" personally do not want a free-loader, so if I am not going to let her hatch----I break her so she will get back to normal----and start laying eggs again. "I" feel alot better about breaking her than I would allowing her to set for weeks for Nothing. I look at my chickens as my kids---I sure would not want one of my kids to set in their room for a couple months---hoping to Get a Prize in the end---when "I" know in the beginning it ain't going to happen!!

 

[SkunkWhisperer]

Hi Skunkwhisperer, I'm guessing it's because broodiness is contagious and before you know it you may have a whole flock of broody hens who constantly want to sit on eggs. Which of course is annoying if you only want eggs. I would seperate the broody hen and throw a rooster in with her so at least something could come of the broodiness. I personally prefer a broody hen because they're so d,arn hard to come by but its totally a matter of preference.

Do broody hens not lay eggs? I'm getting eggs from every hen every day! (This is their first winter, so they don't know they can get away with slowing down egg production.) I used to have a rooster -- sold him for $5 to a breeder. It was that, or turn him into a pot pie. The hens are MUCH happier now that they aren't being harassed 24/7. I got the birds to eat the insects on the property, and they are awesome for that. I could see the broody bird failing in her duties in that regard.

 

[wingitman]

A broody hen will lay till she has a clutch of around 10 eggs then she'll stop for 21 days till they hatch. If your preference is eggs than no need to get a rooster and try to break her out of the habit like PDriverman said. My Hen was broody for like 10 days then she got turned off because she had other chickens lay in her box and she just left the box all together. so I had to move the eggs to an incubator, (not sure if they're still alive but will try)

 

[SkunkWhisperer]

A broody hen will lay till she has a clutch of around 10 eggs then she'll stop for 21 days till they hatch. If your preference is eggs than no need to get a rooster and try to break her out of the habit like PDriverman said. My Hen was broody for like 10 days then she got turned off because she had other chickens lay in her box and she just left the box all together. so I had to move the eggs to an incubator, (not sure if they're still alive but will try)

Makes sense! Well, the coop and run are close to the house, so I stop by at least two times a day and pick up eggs, so she never gets a clutch of more than 3 or 4, and not for longer than a couple of hours. Also, she's not there all day, every day...she likes to eat, for one. She does get snarky with me when I get the eggs out from under her, but I'll try to be a little more aggressive about getting her out of the nesting box, since there's no upside to letting her sit there getting fat.

Thanks for the replies, Wingitman an PD-Riverman!

 

[microchick]

IMHO, brooding continuously is physically stressful on a hen. They are pouring a tremendous amount of energy into maintaining body temperature for 21 days while incubating and eating only once a day during the process. I know our hen feels lighter when we lift her off the nest to count eggs so in spite of food being readily available to her she is loosing a percentage of her body weight. If you let a hen to brood continuously, that loss of condition will inevitably lead to illness and parasites. Best to either let her hatch out some chicks or break her.

 

[SkunkWhisperer]

IMHO, brooding continuously is physically stressful on a hen. They are pouring a tremendous amount of energy into maintaining body temperature for 21 days while incubating and eating only once a day during the process. I know our hen feels lighter when we lift her off the nest to count eggs so in spite of food being readily available to her she is loosing a percentage of her body weight. If you let a hen to brood continuously, that loss of condition will inevitably lead to illness and parasites. Best to either let her hatch out some chicks or break her.

Thanks, microchick. I'm going to break her of the habit for her own sake.