Broody Hen Thread!

[JaeG]

Sorry - I forgot that what we call a Pekin Bantam in New Zealand is called a Cochin Bantam in America, so no duck eggs, just bantam chicken eggs. I did have to giggle at the thought of my tiny Old English Game Bantams trying to sit on a bunch of duck eggs! Six bantam eggs under each of them seems quite a lot, though Sunflower had stolen one of Pixie's yesterday, so I'm sure she'd be game to try sitting on some big duck eggs.

Thanks everyone for all the info and ideas though. At least I know what to do if I ever want to hatch duck eggs - but I think I'd choose a bigger broody.

 

[Wendy High]

Momma brought babies out of hen house today in amoungst adults and teenagers. Fun to watch but nervous as well.

 

[malkered]

I had set 18 bantam eggs and six eggs from my own hens (running with our cockerel) when one of my girls, Belle (a 30 week old RIR/Sussex cross) went broody with one of her eggs. I introduced the LF eggs so she is now sitting on seven eggs. They are now on day 12 and having sneakily candled at day 8 they are all fertile.

I have only used an incubator so far so have no real experience of a hen hatching and taking care of her own chicks so I have a few concerns.

Will a broody hen automatically become a mother hen and take care of the chicks?
Will she be able to protect them from the other hens?
The nesting boxes are 12 inches off the ground with a 2 inch lip at the front, will the chicks be safe in there?
Do I put food and water in the nesting box once the chicks hatch?
Do I then leave the chicks with her until they grow and integrate?

 

[Puddin Fluff]

I had set 18 bantam eggs and six eggs from my own hens (running with our cockerel) when one of my girls, Belle (a 30 week old RIR/Sussex cross) went broody with one of her eggs. I introduced the LF eggs so she is now sitting on seven eggs. They are now on day 12 and having sneakily candled at day 8 they are all fertile.

I have only used an incubator so far so have no real experience of a hen hatching and taking care of her own chicks so I have a few concerns.

Will a broody hen automatically become a mother hen and take care of the chicks?
Will she be able to protect them from the other hens?
The nesting boxes are 12 inches off the ground with a 2 inch lip at the front, will the chicks be safe in there?
Do I put food and water in the nesting box once the chicks hatch?
Do I then leave the chicks with her until they grow and integrate?

I am no expert but I did several broody hatches last year and I will answer based on my experience.

How good a mother just depends on the hen, some are just naturally better than others.
How well she protects them depends on the aggressiveness of the other hens and her place in the pecking order and her personality, but most likely yes.
My nest boxes are as high or higher. I just put a huge pile of shavings on the floor beneath in-case one fell out and once one goes to the ground, usually mom follows and so do the others, then they will nest in a corner somewhere until the little ones are flyable.
I put food and water in the nest for the day after hatch.
I leave the chicks with mom unless she proves she can not protect them. I once had to remove a chick as mom was getting ganged up on and the chick was at sever risk, otherwise, they will be fine togther.

One thing that I do, if the broody is nesting with the flock and the other hens have access to the nest, I mark the eggs I want to hatch and remove any extras each night. at about day 17 or 18, I set up some kind of barricade to keep out the other hens and I put food and water in with mom. That is to protect the eggs as they hatch. I had a very clumsy hen who insisted on laying where the other was brooding and mom was not aggressive enough to keep her out and she accidentally crushed some of the hatchlings. I leave the barrier up until the chicks are ready to go to ground, (you'll know, they run around like crazy) and then remove the barrier and keep a close eye on everyone the first couple of days to see how everyone is getting along.

Good luck!

 

[Puddin Fluff]

BTW: I just set 11 eggs (I don't think some of them are fertile) with a new broody today. Can't wait to see how she does.

That's her on the right with her Man. before she decided to go broody.

 

[malkered]

I am no expert but I did several broody hatches last year and I will answer based on my experience.  

How good a mother just depends on the hen, some are just naturally better than others.
How well she protects them depends on the aggressiveness of the other hens and her place in the pecking order and her personality, but most likely yes.
My nest boxes are as high or higher.  I just put a huge pile of shavings on the floor beneath in-case one fell out and once one goes to the ground, usually mom follows and so do the others, then they will nest in a corner somewhere until the little ones are flyable.
I put food and water in the nest for the day after hatch.
I leave the chicks with mom unless she proves she can not protect them.  I once had to remove a chick as mom was getting ganged up on and the chick was at sever risk, otherwise, they will be fine togther.

One thing that I do, if the broody is nesting with the flock and the other hens have access to the nest, I mark the eggs I want to hatch and remove any extras each night.  at about day 17 or 18, I set up some kind of barricade to keep out the other hens and I put food and water in with mom.  That is to protect the eggs as they hatch.  I had a very clumsy hen who insisted on laying where the other was brooding and mom was not aggressive enough to keep her out and she accidentally crushed some of the hatchlings.  I leave the barrier up until the chicks are ready to go to ground, (you'll know, they run around like crazy) and then remove the barrier and keep a close eye on everyone the first couple of days to see how everyone is getting along.

Good luck!

Thank you for your advice, I'll report progress on here. The

 

[16 paws]

The baby peeps and moves around ok, it is sleeping right now

If it were me I would not put this chick back with the mama. Do you have a heat lamp and an area to look after it?

 

[malkered]

BTW: I just set 11 eggs (I don't think some of them are fertile) with a new broody today. Can't wait to see how she does. That's her on the right with her Man. before she decided to go broody.

Good luck! I hope all goes well.

 

[lcconnelly56]

Hello, Is it okay to just let the hen be broody even if there is no rooster so no chance of hatching? I just take the eggs,if any, out from under her and take her out of the nest for a few hours, blocking her from the nest. Will it just run its course or should I actively try to break her broodiness?

 

[Puddin Fluff]

Hello, Is it okay to just let the hen be broody even if there is no rooster so no chance of hatching? I just take the eggs,if any, out from under her and take her out of the nest for a few hours, blocking her from the nest. Will it just run its course or should I actively try to break her broodiness?

That depends on the hen. Some will continue to be broody for long lengths of time which can be detrimental to their health as they don't eat and drink "normally" during broodiness. If you are not wanting to hatch, I would put her in a "broody buster". If you have an open bottom cage that you can elevate so that air circulates under her. Put her in that with food and drink and monitor her behavior. After 2-3 days she should be back to "normal" and you can let her out. If she goes for the nest, put her back in for another day or two. For sure if she lays in the cage, she is over it. Broody hens do not lay but her broodiness should break before she returns to laying.

If she persists, let her hatch some eggs. If you don't have fertile ones, you should be able to find someone that does.

Good luck.