Broody Hen Thread!

[Dani4Hedgies]

I got wooden eggs hobby lobby .49 an egg

 

[fisherlady]

Yes, I did miss it. Sorry, I've come down with something and have not been on the Internet. I did check the chicks and 3/3 had pasty butt! Just like my last (first) broody. With the first I assumed it was because they were eating not only chick starter but also grower and scratch. So this time I've given them nothing but medicated chick starter. And a little electrolytes in their water. The bedding is fresh pine wood chips. I cleaned the whole area before I set it up for her. They are in my laundry room/basement. I set up one of those big circular metal gates that I used to use for rabbits & Guinea pigs outside. Laid down some cardboard, newspaper and then piled up wood chips on half. It's been good because they are right on the floor so they can sneak out from under mom and access food and water and slip right back under her. So far mom has been sitting on them a lot but I've also caught them eating and drinking. I was able to snatch them all up, clean their butts, blow dry them and put them back with mom, yesterday. Guess I should check on them again today. I have had a few cases of pasty butt with eggs I hatch but nothing serious. So I guess I will do some research on pasty butt now. I just thought with their mom I would not have to worry about it.

We have all of our chicks on sand and in an unheated area. If they need a warm up they get under mama but they don't seem to spend a lot of time there because they would rather be exploring. We give them a mix of finch seeds, hulled sunflower seeds and a few meal worms. Sprinkle the mix out over the sand so mama can teach them how to scratch. We give them this 'peep seed mix' two or three times a day in addition to the feeder of chick starter which is always available. I think the scratching in sand helps keep their systems happy.

 

[RubyNala97]

We have all of our chicks on sand and in an unheated area. If they need a warm up they get under mama but they don't seem to spend a lot of time there because they would rather be exploring. We give them a mix of finch seeds, hulled sunflower seeds and a few meal worms. Sprinkle the mix out over the sand so mama can teach them how to scratch. We give them this 'peep seed mix' two or three times a day in addition to the feeder of chick starter which is always available. I think the scratching in sand helps keep their systems happy.

Well compared to my brooded chicks they seem to spend MOST of the time under mom. She's just sitting on them. My brooder chicks do sleep a lot but also spend lots of time eating, drinking and playing. I assumed this was normal for broody chicks. I will get some finch mix and hulled sunflower seeds. Think this will encourage mom to get up? Half the floor is just newspaper, so they do have room to move around without being in the bedding but I've never seen them explore!

 

[fisherlady]

Well compared to my brooded chicks they seem to spend MOST of the time under mom. She's just sitting on them. My brooder chicks do sleep a lot but also spend lots of time eating, drinking and playing. I assumed this was normal for broody chicks. I will get some finch mix and hulled sunflower seeds. Think this will encourage mom to get up? Half the floor is just newspaper, so they do have room to move around without being in the bedding but I've never seen them explore!

Sometimes hens need a bit of help getting into the swing of things, it is also a good way to get the chicks used to the idea that humans mean good things. If you have time you can sit on the floor with them and hand feed them a little bit, they will soon be running to you when they see you.

Our experienced broodies know the routine and get very pushy about wanting their kids fed when we are around, Lacey will jump up and knock dishes right out of our hands if we don't give up the goodies quick enough!

 

[Old Sol]

Forgive me if you get this question a lot. I scrolled through but couldn't find a similar inquiry. I have 6 eggs I just set in my Brinsea mini. I also have a broody hen sitting on 7 pink golf balls in the coop. She has no real eggs underneath her. My question is, if she remains there when the chicks hatch, can I just put them in there with her and have her take care of them? It would sure make her happy.

 

[RubyNala97]

Sometimes hens need a bit of help getting into the swing of things, it is also a good way to get the chicks used to the idea that humans mean good things. If you have time you can sit on the floor with them and hand feed them a little bit, they will soon be running to you when they see you.

Our experienced broodies know the routine and get very pushy about wanting their kids fed when we are around, Lacey will jump up and knock dishes right out of our hands if we don't give up the goodies quick enough!

I do this with my brooder chicks. I hand feed them live small mealworms and then they are my best friend for life. So I will try this with them. This way to they won't scatter when I approach, which I'm afraid they will do if they are out from under mom and get lost. Thank you for the help! How long should I keep them seperated from the flock?

 

[microchick]

Forgive me if you get this question a lot. I scrolled through but couldn't find a similar inquiry. I have 6 eggs I just set in my Brinsea mini. I also have a broody hen sitting on 7 pink golf balls in the coop. She has no real eggs underneath her. My question is, if she remains there when the chicks hatch, can I just put them in there with her and have her take care of them? It would sure make her happy.

Can you just give them to her and let her hatch them? That would make her REALLY happy!

Your post made me laugh Fisherlady. Tonight I went out to give the flock their evening treat that they get when they bed down for the night and by the time I made it to their coop half of it was strewn across the run from the hens trying to fly up and get first nibs. Spoiled? My birds? Nah....not by much.

This afternoon I was in TSC with my husband and had to stop and look at the chicks. There was one little Australorp chick in with the mixed breed sexed pullets that was hard to walk away from. But I managed to do that. I'm still hoping for a 2nd broody somewhere in the future. I mean these little feathered she devils have to pay for their treats somehow.

 

[trailrider330]

I do this with my brooder chicks. I hand feed them live small mealworms and then they are my best friend for life. So I will try this with them. This way to they won't scatter when I approach, which I'm afraid they will do if they are out from under mom and get lost. Thank you for the help! How long should I keep them seperated from the flock?

I always let my broodies decide when it's time for her and her chicks to join the flock. I generally keep them locked up for about a week. During the following week, I let them start to free-range a little while I stand guard, gradually increasing their time free-ranging while I decrease the amount of time I stand guard. Sometime between the 2nd and 3rd week, the broody generally leads the chicks into the main coop at dusk rather than back into the brooder. I take that as my sign that all is well and let them stay with their flockmates full-time from that point on. It has never caused a problem, even with multiple roosters.

 

[wahnter]

We have a couple questions. Will fake eggs cause hens to become broody?
Number 2 is If I want 2 of my broody hens to mother my new chicks should I leave the hens with all the others or should I move my broody hens to their own pen?

 

[trailrider330]

We have a couple questions. Will fake eggs cause hens to become broody?
Number 2 is If I want 2 of my broody hens to mother my new chicks should I leave the hens with all the others or should I move my broody hens to their own pen?

Fake eggs can certainly encourage a broody to become broody, but there is no guarantee that it will work. Some birds will never go broody no matter what tricks you try. You can check out other threads on BYC for other ideas for how to "make a hen go broody".

If it were me, I would separate the broodies from the flock, as well as from each other, at least initially, because there are cases of broodies killing the chicks of other hens. You are also going to want to place the chicks (preferably not more than 1-2 days old) under the broody at night, and then spend some time monitoring her reaction. This is best done after your broody has been sitting on (fake) eggs for at least 2 weeks. If your hen is not broody, has not been sitting on fake eggs for at least 2 weeks, or your chicks are older than a couple days, I would not recommend trying to put your chicks under them.