Broody Hen Thread!

[katatonic123]

Out for a stroll.

 

[microchick]

Katatonic123 that is adorable. Those little legs are really working to keep up with mom.

 

[OScarlet]

So we had a BO that wanted to hatch eggs so badly, she has repeatedly gone broody and will try to hatch an empty nest even. The time was right this time so I found someone who would give me six blues to try her with (we live in the city and don't have a rooster). I thought maybe we had lost them as she decided to leave them and go back and sit on the fake eggs for perhaps several hours during the first week...? The eggs were cool when I found her. The internet said not to worry all hope was not lost so I stuck her back on them and wouldn't let her back to the nest box for a few days.

I tried candling them at ten days but couldn't see anything. Today I thought that maybe it was hatching day#1 (the guy I got them from added eggs to the incubator over two or three days before I got them) so I reached under my broody while she swore at me. I didn't feel any chips or cracks so I pulled one out to look at. I've never hatched eggs before so was quite gob smacked when the egg loudly cheeped at me!!

I had to go out to a friend's most of the day and when I came back I found two little heads poking out from under my hen!

So, as she has no interest in getting off her remaining eggs to get food and water should we take the chicks from her until she is done?

 

[RachaelR32]

So we had a BO that wanted to hatch eggs so badly, she has repeatedly gone broody and will try to hatch an empty nest even. The time was right this time so I found someone who would give me six blues to try her with (we live in the city and don't have a rooster). I thought maybe we had lost them as she decided to leave them and go back and sit on the fake eggs for perhaps several hours during the first week...? The eggs were cool when I found her. The internet said not to worry all hope was not lost so I stuck her back on them and wouldn't let her back to the nest box for a few days.

I tried candling them at ten days but couldn't see anything. Today I thought that maybe it was hatching day#1 (the guy I got them from added eggs to the incubator over two or three days before I got them) so I reached under my broody while she swore at me. I didn't feel any chips or cracks so I pulled one out to look at. I've never hatched eggs before so was quite gob smacked when the egg loudly cheeped at me!!

I had to go out to a friend's most of the day and when I came back I found two little heads poking out from under my hen!

So, as she has no interest in getting off her remaining eggs to get food and water should we take the chicks from her until she is done?

So cute!

Leave them with her. They don't need to leave the nest right away. Hopefully you'll get a few more yet.

 

[nchls school]

I finally got a couple of pics of our chicks. They are 4.5 weeks old and on their own now. Mom is back with the flock and still screams every time one of the roosters looks crosseyed at her but doesn't seem to miss her babies....which aren't babies anymore.


This is Primo. Welsummer/Buff O cross. I could have sworn this is a little roo until my husband pointed out to me as we processed this picture that the hackle feathers weren't 'right'. I looked close and sure enough, there is some black penciling on those hackle feathers similar to a Welsummer hen. I think your husband is wrong on this one. It's a rooster. When breeds are crossed traits get combined depending on if it is a dominant, incomplete dominant, multi gene, or recessive trait. Nothing like that on a Buff O and definitely nothing like that on the Welsummer cockerels. This is one bossy little bird though and rules it's brood mates with an iron wing. But boy does it ever have a roosters wattles and comb not to mention attitude. The little gold bum in the picture belongs to one of the 4 Buff O chicks.

The second is little 7 of 8, one of our little miracle chicks that hatched in our kitchen after mom abandoned her two remaining unhatched eggs to take care of her babies.


7 is also a Welsummer/Buff O cross chick and will let me catch and hold it without too much fuss. I can't believe how fast these guys are growing up.

 

[nchls school]

So we had a BO that wanted to hatch eggs so badly, she has repeatedly gone broody and will try to hatch an empty nest even. The time was right this time so I found someone who would give me six blues to try her with (we live in the city and don't have a rooster). I thought maybe we had lost them as she decided to leave them and go back and sit on the fake eggs for perhaps several hours during the first week...? The eggs were cool when I found her. The internet said not to worry all hope was not lost so I stuck her back on them and wouldn't let her back to the nest box for a few days.

I tried candling them at ten days but couldn't see anything. Today I thought that maybe it was hatching day#1 (the guy I got them from added eggs to the incubator over two or three days before I got them) so I reached under my broody while she swore at me. I didn't feel any chips or cracks so I pulled one out to look at. I've never hatched eggs before so was quite gob smacked when the egg loudly cheeped at me!!

I had to go out to a friend's most of the day and when I came back I found two little heads poking out from under my hen!

So, as she has no interest in getting off her remaining eggs to get food and water should we take the chicks from her until she is done?

Wonderful and cute as a button. When the chicks become more active the hen will leave the nest with them. At that point if there are more eggs that are still to hatch, consider taking the chicks from the hen until all the eggs have hatched. When all the eggs have hatched the chicks can be returned to the hen. When chicks are removed broody hens will stay with the nest and eggs.

 

[nchls school]

Katatonic123 that is adorable. Those little legs are really working to keep up with mom.

X 2.

 

[nchls school]

Don't worry Fisherlady, the way my luck runs all 8 of them will be cockerels LOL.

If you wish, post pictures of them showing their heads. Nothing is positive when sexing chicks at that age, but members should be able to give a good idea of the sex of your chicks.

 

[microchick]

Getting them to hold still is the challenge. They are quite different from my original flock as far as behavior is concerned. Their parents were quite willing to hold still for the camera but not these guys. There is only one that likes to perch on my arm and spend time with me. The rest have an agenda. It's called.....don't get caught or hold still!

 

[Curnow]

Question for al you seasoned hatchers!

My broody hen is due to hatch her chicks in a few days, I also have 11 chicks I purchased just before she decided to sit. What I need to know is....can I put the month old store bought chicks in the same coop with the broody once she has her chicks? This is our first broody...first hatch! Will she hurt the older chicks if they get too close or rambunctious? I can put them behind a wire enclosure if need be. Just hoping I won't have to and they will all have access to the same food and water. I don't want her to get stressed or something with the other juveniles in the same house and abandon her new chicks.