Broody Hen Thread!

[PD-Riverman]

I had read stories of people having broodies perish on the nest, I would like to run a more natural brooding process, that's for sure.

I have heard of them dying when someone allowed them to set for many week other than that I have never read about broodies dying on the nest----wonder what the ""whole"" story behind that would be? Bet its more than a simple 21 day hatch----or maybe a broody that was not in good health to start with or set to long on bad egg or set in box that was in the sun---just Guessing

 

[cajun41887]

I have 10 eggs under a broody hen. As of this afternoon, 8 are hatched and doing well. Other 2 eggs were still under hen. Checked on her tonight and she's off the 2 eggs. One has been pipped and no further progress since this morning. Chick is ALIVE and i can hear cheeping and feel movement. Other egg is nearly zipped and I can see feathers of chick, but has been zipped like this since this morning. I put eggs back under hen. This is my first hatch. Do I help, do I not? I don't want to help too early, but I don't want to wait too long either. Any thought on what I should do? Strange to me that mama would get off of them when she was a committed sitter. This is her first brood. She's being a good mama showing other chicks where water is and food. Just concerned that she was sitting on other side of nest with all her hatched chicks, and the eggs were just left.

 

[katatonic123]

I moved the 2 that have been brooding longer out of the main coop but they are in the same area with separate boxes. Want to make sure they are ok with the transfer before they get eggs. I am pretty sure I can rig something to separate them just for that weekend. The other hen hasnt been broody long and since this is her first brood I may just give her another week and recollect eggs for her since those came from my own flock.

If you are going to put them each in private hatching pens---they will probably do real good while you are gone! If you are going to have them all together with the other chickens----Who Knows what will happen---all I could say would be---Good Luck.

 

[microchick]

Hey Guys!

I'm in a dilemma as a first time chicken owner. I currently have a whole flock, with 4 roosters, 1 Guinea hen, and 15 hens. Before anyone says anything, that's a lot of roosters yes. My mom along with me have gotten too attached to them to find them a new home since we've had all of them since chicks.

However, to get to the point, I have 4 broody hens as of right now, a Orpington, 2 Cochins, and a Rhode Island Red. We've recently hatched some eggs and the three that hatched first are being taken care of by one of the mothers, however the two eggs that hatched next was a few days late. After a day in the incubator, I gave them to the mom and she ended up pecking and rejecting one of the chicks while I was away. Unfortunately, the poor little thing got pecked till some skin was missing and feathers, there was also some blood loss. It is still peeping and moving about with its siblings in a different area but will something like this heal or if there is anything I can do. I feel so guilty and horrible as I thought I was doing the best thing for it. I've been crying so much, it breaks my heart.

Here are some images

Please help...

Hi WIldflower13 and welcome to the forum. Poor babies. Sorry they are getting off to such a rocky start. You did right pulling them from their momma I just had a similar situation trying to introduce my BOs chicks to the flock. She stayed with her 8 chicks for 2 weeks then started laying again and wanted back with her flockmates so when the babies were 9 weeks, I tried giving them some time with the older flock. One little pullet wound up with the back of her neck scalped when one of the Welsummer hens nailed her. I cleaned the wound and applied blue kote to the wound to prevent the others from pecking at the wound. I also put a dab of blue kote on the other youngsters so everybody had matching decoration and nobody looked abnormal. The wound healed very rapidly. I keep blue kote on it and daily cut back dead and drying tissue till there was only a little skin tag left from the nasty flap wound. You are going to want to protect the wound from the other chicks if there is red tissue or blood showing. Thus using the blue kote. I also gave them a few days worth of Rooster Booster vitamins and probiotics in their water for stress and support. Keep the little ones warm, keep an eye on the wounds and please don't cry. You didn't know this was going to happen. I did the same thing with my broody, shoving two late hatchers under mom when I finished up their hatch in an incubator. I was lucky. No problems.More than likely your little ones will heal and do fine. Some times your best intentions just are not enough, especially when the hen has her own ideas.

 

[Morrigan]

I have heard of them dying when someone allowed them to set for many week other than that I have never read about broodies dying on the nest----wonder what the ""whole"" story behind that would be? Bet its more than a simple 21 day hatch----or maybe a broody that was not in good health to start with or set to long on bad egg or set in box that was in the sun---just Guessing

I've wondered if mites or parasites were involved. But, when I saw the state of my broody last year when "I let her be" for a standard 21 day hatch I figured that some of these hatchery bred birds may be just poorly wired to manage their brood.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I have 10 eggs under a broody hen. As of this afternoon, 8 are hatched and doing well. Other 2 eggs were still under hen. Checked on her tonight and she's off the 2 eggs. One has been pipped and no further progress since this morning. Chick is ALIVE and i can hear cheeping and feel movement. Other egg is nearly zipped and I can see feathers of chick, but has been zipped like this since this morning. I put eggs back under hen. This is my first hatch. Do I help, do I not? I don't want to help too early, but I don't want to wait too long either. Any thought on what I should do? Strange to me that mama would get off of them when she was a committed sitter. This is her first brood. She's being a good mama showing other chicks where water is and food. Just concerned that she was sitting on other side of nest with all her hatched chicks, and the eggs were just left.

Hope the 2 chicks hatched last night!!

Questions being this is your first time--
Did you collect these 10 eggs, fresh layed and put all 10 under her at the same time?
How did you know these 2 were not hatched/pipped/zipped before she got off the nest with the chicks? Were you picking her up or tilting her to look under her?

 

[PD-Riverman]

I moved the 2 that have been brooding longer out of the main coop but they are in the same area with separate boxes. Want to make sure they are ok with the transfer before they get eggs. I am pretty sure I can rig something to separate them just for that weekend. The other hen hasnt been broody long and since this is her first brood I may just give her another week and recollect eggs for her since those came from my own flock.

""I"" would make sure each hen is separated from the flock the entire incubation period. The "other hen" how long has she been broody? I do not like to wait days, week or more to set a broody because that means she will have to have set days/week longer to hatch her eggs which could cause her to give up before the hatch or cause her to loose additional weight/affect her health. When my broodies go broody I usually have them set with-in 3 days and they all give me a good hatch of beautiful chicks. Good Luck

 

[cajun41887]

Hope the 2 chicks hatched last night!!

Questions being this is your first time--
Did you collect these 10 eggs, fresh layed and put all 10 under her at the same time?
How did you know these 2 were not hatched/pipped/zipped before she got off the nest with the chicks? Were you picking her up or tilting her to look under her?

She had gotten up. Time or two to reposition herself and I could see the 2 remaining eggs. Good news though. The one that was zipped hatched around midnight. The other one was nearly zipped at that time, so I'm sure it has hatched. Haven't been out to check on her yet. Thanks everyone, seems this newbie was just a nervous Nellie and needed to wait a bit longer. I was just so worried when I came home and found her not sitting on them.

 

[nchls school]

I have heard of them dying when someone allowed them to set for many week other than that I have never read about broodies dying on the nest----wonder what the ""whole"" story behind that would be? Bet its more than a simple 21 day hatch----or  maybe a broody that was not in good health to start with or set to long on bad egg or set in  box that was in the sun---just Guessing

X 2. Brooding hens get sick and die just like those running around. It is doubtful that a hen perishes from not taking the time to eat and drink, etc.

 

[katatonic123]

The 2 are separated from the flock just not each other and havent been given eggs yet because I just moved them. The other hen has been in a nest the last couple of nights but I've not seen her daytime behavior much because of not being home much. She may just be hanging out there at night although she usually roosts. School is out now and I'll be home most days for free range time and can better assess her determination.

""I"" would make sure each hen is separated from the flock the entire incubation period. The "other hen" how long has she been broody? I do not like to wait days, week or more to set a broody because that means she will have to have set days/week longer to hatch her eggs which could cause her to give up before the hatch or cause her to loose additional weight/affect her health. When my broodies go broody I usually have them set with-in 3 days and they all give me a good hatch of beautiful chicks. Good Luck