Broody Hen Thread!

[Morrigan]

Poultry Math Its a thing...I started with 16 hatchery birds on Nov 18 then had 1 death and adopted out 2 so dropped to the 13 thought we had 5 roosters. So went shopping at Danz hoping for 6 hens ended up with 5 hens and the 1 and only rooster (that I know of) then went to Danz today for 4 Midget White Turkeys and wouldn't you know it I came home with 11 peeping babies 4 pouts 2 Black Mottled Orps, 3 Jubilee, 2 Suxxex to ADD to the 6 ( 1 Mottled, 4 Brahmas,and yes a Partridge in a tree (well ok Brooder but close enough THANKS Danz your the BEST!!!!! I'm Dani4Hedgies and I am not ashamed to say I'm a Poultry Addict....

You have to love chicken math.

Well, my broody is doing just fantastic with the 8 foster chicks. They are climbing under, around, and over her. I never get tired of seeing those little faces poking out from her feathers.

Now the not-so-good news. She got off the nest last night. None of her 4 eggs hatched. It was sad. We went to do an eggtopsy and to our surprise and horror, the first one we opened was still alive. It looked really underdeveloped for day 23, however. I kicked myself for opening it without candling first. I candled the other 3, and thought one of them might still alive as well. I put all 3 in the incubator, just in case, and so far nothing. She didn't do a really great job at keeping them under her during her brood and given her history of poor hatch rates, I just think her broody instinct is a little off kilter. Eggtopsies from her previous bad hatches always showed several fully developed chicks that never pipped. I'm glad I have the incubator now so I can do the hatching and she can do the mothering.

I would still like to have some good broody hens and am shopping breeds. I hear a lot of people recommend silkies as a sure-fire broody. I am concerned however, that my rooster would injure such a petite bird. He's an ameraucana and although not enormous, he does seem like enough of a load for my orpingtons.

 

[WildHens]

You have to love chicken math.

Well, my broody is doing just fantastic with the 8 foster chicks.  They are climbing under, around, and over her.  I never get tired of seeing those little faces poking out from her feathers.

Now the not-so-good news.  She got off the nest last night.  None of her 4 eggs hatched.  It was sad.  We went to do an eggtopsy and to our surprise and horror, the first one we opened was still alive.  It looked really underdeveloped for day 23, however.  I kicked myself for opening it without candling first.   I candled the other 3, and thought one of them might still alive as well.  I put all 3 in the incubator, just in case, and so far nothing.  She didn't do a really great job at keeping them under her during her brood and given her history of poor hatch rates, I just think her broody instinct is a little off kilter.  Eggtopsies from her previous bad hatches always showed several fully developed chicks that never pipped.   I'm glad I have the incubator now so I can do the hatching and she can do the mothering.  

I would still like to have some good broody hens and am shopping breeds.  I hear a lot of people recommend silkies as a sure-fire broody.   I am concerned however, that my rooster would injure such a petite bird.  He's an ameraucana and although not enormous, he does seem like enough of a load for my orpingtons.    

My favorite broodies are my Silkies and OEGB.. my Serama has started her own journey too but she barely covers 3 eggs.. but for a larger breed, cochins are well known for going broody too..I sent a hatchery cochin to a friend she started laying, laid for about a month and promptly went broody.. heard it's best to trim their leg feathers bc they can accidentally throw eggs out of the nest, but my best broody silkie has some serious feathering, and I never trimmed hers and she does just fine..
You could also go with hatchery Silkies. .they seem to be bigger in general than other lines but just as good mamas

 

[fisherlady]

My favorite broodies are my Silkies and OEGB.. my Serama has started her own journey too but she barely covers 3 eggs.. but for a larger breed, cochins are well known for going broody too..I sent a hatchery cochin to a friend she started laying, laid for about a month and promptly went broody.. heard it's best to trim their leg feathers bc they can accidentally throw eggs out of the nest, but my best broody silkie has some serious feathering, and I never trimmed hers and she does just fine..
You could also go with hatchery Silkies. .they seem to be bigger in general than other lines but just as good mamas

X2 on hatchery silkies....I have a hatchery girl and she is a stellar broody, covers 8 regular sized large fowl eggs without a problem. She hatched 8 bar rock and australorp eggs in a January hatch a few years ago...in the coop.

Check with breeders of some of the 'heritage' breeds such as the rocks, jersey giants, dorkings and favorelles. Some lines of those breeds can still have strong brooding tendancies. A good breeder will know about their lines tendancy levels. I have a line of Silver Pencil Plymouth Rocks which have been tremendous broodies for me. My best girl Lacey, hatched 4 broods last year and has her second brood with her this year already. I have no complaints except to say you need to give the large fowl broodies very large nests to reduce egg breakage which seems to be the most common complication when using large hens.

 

[Morrigan]

Thanks for the tip of looking for breeders and I'll check out those breeds. Here is mama with her fosters.

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

Is Danz a store ???
Wish we had some place like that around here!! I had to accumulate my Orps via mostly shipped eggs, a several hour drive for some chicks and one very very sweet @WVduckchickthat came my way with some hatching eggs ♡♡

Lol no she is local poultry breeder in KS she is on here under the handle chickendanz

 

[WildHens]

Lol no she is local poultry breeder in KS she is on here under the handle chickendanz

Darn..lol...
May have to talk to her about some hatching eggs..lol..kept thinking, man, why don't our stores have a selection like that..generally even the "pullet bins" here are mostly roos..lmao

 

[WVduckchick]

Is Danz a store ???
Wish we had some place like that around here!! I had to accumulate my Orps via mostly shipped eggs, a several hour drive for some chicks and one very very sweet @WVduckchickthat came my way with some hatching eggs ♡♡

I'd say we will be doing plenty of trading from now on...

 

[WildHens]

I'd say we will be doing plenty of trading from now on...

Im always game I've got a nice goat for trade...lol

 

[WVduckchick]

Im always game I've got a nice goat for trade...lol

Um....I'm gonna say you can keep him!

 

[microchick]

I talked to my breeder friend yesterday. No more Silkies this year.

She is waiting to get the word from me that one of my girls has gone broody because she is going to provide some different breed hatching eggs for me. Hopefully I can get a few standard sized Cochins and from her. I appreciate the input about broody breeds of chickens. Thanks. Hopefully my girls will kick their hormones into gear and get with the program.

Would introducing the 11 week olds to the flock raise the stress level to a point where the hens will resist going broody?