Broody Hen Thread!

[sharol]

Quote:
Eggs take 21 days or so to incubate. If the eggs have been under her for 4 weeks, they aren't going to hatch (assuming we are talking chicken). If eggs have been added to the nest over time, it is anyone's guess. I would candle the eggs (there is a great article on that here on BYC) https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...g-candling-pics-progression-though-incubation is the link. If they have a red line around them, they are dead (blood line). If they are clear they are unfertilized or brand new. You are looking for development in the egg. Pitch any that smell (very carefully they are stink bombs) or are obviously dead or not developing. Now look for movement in the remaining eggs.

 

[cmbookworm]

Thanks so much! That seems doable. I really want to keep them with the flock . It's our first time hatching eggs and it's nerve wracking!!

I agree with trailrider, with the additional caution that flock dynamics can alter time frames needed dramatically. An experienced broody hen in a laid back flock may be fine right from the start and a new broody within a persnickity flock of bossy hens may need a few weeks of time to let her chicks get big enough to avoid problem flock members.
Initial exposure between broody and the flock should ideally be done in a very open area and under human observation with a plan in place to be able to quickly gather chicks back from harms way if problems occur. Even after our broodies are mixed in with the flock in the coop they all have a nest area provided in a quieter area which they can retreat to if they feel the need and it is that spot they spend their nights till the hen decides to move them up onto the shelves for roosting with the flock.

 

[wannahomestead]

Hi,

I have my first broody, and I am completely unprepared. She just started sitting on a clutch of eggs yesterday that I hadn't collected yet.

i just built her a make shift nest box, cleared out 8 soiled eggs that had egg yolk on them, and placed a remaining 6 in the new next box. The remaining 6 were a bit dirty too though.

Anyway, she's sitting in the new box now. I'm hoping to let nature take its course here and maybe hatch some eggs.

 

[microchick]

Today is day 9 for Aggie and she is doing much better now that she has the whole 4X8 coop to herself. She is getting off her nest pretty much the same time every day. My only bending of the "hands off"rule has been that I have been offering her a cold drink of water twice a day due to temps in the mid 80s and sudden high humidity that we have suddenly started to experience. Tonight I thought she was never going to stop drinking.

Her first broody is 12 weeks old now and tonight when I put one of the little pullets down (she is a cuddler) one of the young cockerels grabbed her by the neck feathers and tried to mount her. Little goof balls haven't started to crow yet but already have an eye for the girls.

12 days and the cycle starts all over again.

The big disappointment is that I thought the cockerel was a pullet......

 

[Dewaldt grobler]

Good day all.

This question was probably answered but i dont have the time to read through it all. Which hen will be the best broody/mother for hatching? I have 6 hens with a nice rooster and would like some chicks but it's been almost 3 years now and not one of my hen was ever broody.

 

[Huggerlady]

Ok, got all cleaned out and I took out 4 eggs that looked like liquid and threw them as far as I could without checking afterwards, (we don't have neighbors, lol). Left her with 5.
Early on I read to allow them to just do it all..Well that doesn't work unless you have experience in the whole process. This is her first, wonder if she will get better or do they repeat same habits? I mean I really thought they destroy or roll away dead or unsuccessful eggs. I am bothered that she can sit on rotten eggs! Yuck!

Sad day, threw all the eggs out as the viable ones died sometime over the weekend. I tried to cool her down by putting her in water, well she stunk from the rotten eggs too. She went right back to the cleaned out nest. I have more eggs, should I give her another shot or is back to back broody to hard? She looks great and does take about 15 break in the morning and I've seen her off for several mins before bed too.

 

[WVduckchick]

Sorry, I don't have any answers for the last 2 posted questions, but I have pics of my broody's first baby!

Under her tail!




Have only seen the legs of the second one, but 2 empty shells so far!
And saw a pip in one sticking out from under her.

 

[kris86AR]

I have my first broody!!!! I was leaving 1 fake egg per nest box and removed fresh eggs daily. My muscovy duck decided she wanted to lay in chicken boxes so i was going to leave her eggs there till she had 12 or so to hatch... Well after 4 eggs my smaller breed chicken is now sitting the nest. 2 days now..... Can i safely remove duck eggs from beneath her this evening and put some fertile chicken eggs in there?? Would leaving 4 or more fake eggs in boxes encourage broodiness?

 

[fisherlady]

Sad day, threw all the eggs out as the viable ones died sometime over the weekend. I tried to cool her down by putting her in water, well she stunk from the rotten eggs too. She went right back to the cleaned out nest. I have more eggs, should I give her another shot or is back to back broody to hard? She looks great and does take about 15 break in the morning and I've seen her off for several mins before bed too.

I have had hens do extended broods successfully, keep a close eye on her for weight, condition and parasites and keep an incubation backup plan in place in case she decides to give up before the 2nd round is finished.

 

[Kfchicks]

This has been my first season with broody mamas! Had no idea I had a broody hen in April and on a whim left 12 eggs in a nesting box and within an hr a hen was on them and didn't wanna leave! She was a good broody until the eggs started to hatch and then I think she got confused as to what was happening under her and as the eggs were moving around hatching she would peck them open and then peck the chick inside till they died she did that to 4 before night fall and then 2 hatched during the night and I guess she was asleep and didn't notice and once they were there she was happy and let the other 4 hatch safely after her clutch hatched that set the whole coop into mass broodiness! All the hens have been great and left the chicks alone and there has been 4 more broody mamas. we got rid of our aggressive rooster (he would seek out my 3yr old son in the backyard minding his own business and attack him and drop him to the ground, sorry bye bye buddy!) so I bought a dz eggs put them under 2 hens (one broke yesterday) so I moved her eggs under the still broody mama and then for the other 2 hens I got chicks and put them under them last night and all seems to be going well!!!