Broody Hen Thread!

[hentown]

Thanks so much Penny Hen - you just might have saved the duck egg!! If so, I'll be sure to send pictures of the hatchling!

 

[Puddin Fluff]

Hello everyone. About six weeks ago I set up a pet crate in the coop with a broody banty. Only one hatched and with in a few hours the other hens killed it. Very sad....So I built a secure broody area. It's about 8' x 2' x 2'. A few days earlier my Buff Orpington went broody. My plan is to lock her in the entire time. Or, should I put her in lock down the last few days and for a week or so after the chicks arrive? I gave her 15 eggs to sit on probably the max but I figured all would not make it anyways.

I let my hens sit in the general population and the others add to the clutch daily, and I remove the extras, daily. I then "lock down" my broody at about day 18 to keep the eggs from getting trampled during the hatch. I put food and water in with her but where she has to get up and get it if she wants it. After the chicks hatch, I move the food and water closer so mama can show it to them. After I am sure there are no more hatching and that the chicks have their sea legs, i.e. they are climbing the walls. I open up so that mama can take them to ground and show them around.

I try to be there when this happens to see how the other birds handle the chicks. If I feel that another bird is particularly threatening, she goes in a cage. Not all flocks are kind to chicks. Others are great with them.

Good luck.

Im so excited 2 of my splash marans went broody yesterday ,they are sharing the nest and have eggs under both of them? Is it ok for them to brood together ?thanks

I have had co-broodies and it worked fine. I have also had horror stories. Be prepared to separate one and let one handle it on their own if a fight ensues. Good luck, it is worth a try.

 

[BackyardMarana]

Yes,hopefully they will be ok .they are sisters so I'm happy for them they have marans ,easter egger,and other mixed eggs under them ...

 

[katatonic123]

@Arrakis I am loving your nesting area! Giving me good ideas for when we convert half the shed into a coop.

 

[Shezadandy]

We've got a first time broody hen due to hatch 6/9. There were 12 to start and we're down to 8. I don't know what happened to the first 2 missing eggs- thinking maybe they were duds and she ate them?? Nowhere to be found. 3rd got picked up in a higher nest box by an unaware DH, egg got refrigerated and cracked for breakfast, sigh. Either broody moved it or another hen stole it, not sure. Today another was gone and this time there was a gooey mess and a couple bits of egg shell- maybe an accidental crack that led to a feast.

Changed out the straw and cleaned up the eggs as well as able with a dry cloth-- all with glaring broody circling- we're getting close to the lockdown date and she's gotten much nastier to deal with, as well she should. Is there something else I should be doing about the yolk debris on the remaining eggs? There isn't a smell, so we're not talking about a rotten exploding egg, but not an ideal situation-- also don't want to mess with things any more than necessary. Suggestions?

 

[Arrakis]

Thank you @Puddin Fluff for the reply.
@katatonic123 I just upgraded the inside. New roost, nest boxes and the broody area. Better organized and better looking than what I had. First nest boxes were 16", these I made 12". Seems to be plenty of room for the hens.

 

[MelissaZeno]

I have two chickens who have brooded together and they do get riled up at each other. Last summer the Sussex hen kept peck at the Dominique who ended up leaving the chicks to go hang out with the rooster. This year there is around 20 chick and I am wondering if I have to split them up they have started to fight. The Dominique is not as careful of a mother as the Sussex.

 

[RubyNala97]

Hello everyone. About six weeks ago I set up a pet crate in the coop with a broody banty. Only one hatched and with in a few hours the other hens killed it. Very sad....So I built a secure broody area. It's about 8' x 2' x 2'. A few days earlier my Buff Orpington went broody. My plan is to lock her in the entire time. Or, should I put her in lock down the last few days and for a week or so after the chicks arrive? I gave her 15 eggs to sit on probably the max but I figured all would not make it anyways.

Wow that looks great!

 

[microchick]

I have two chickens who have brooded together and they do get riled up at each other. Last summer the Sussex hen kept peck at the Dominique who ended up leaving the chicks to go hang out with the rooster. This year there is around 20 chick and I am wondering if I have to split them up they have started to fight. The Dominique is not as careful of a mother as the Sussex.

You really need to separate them if they both go broody at the same time.

RubyNala97 I love the broody area you have set up. Mine is going to be similar with the three walled nesting box under the regular nesting boxes and an enclosed area extending off that. I'll have to try to get a picture today. What are you going to do with the chicks once they outgrow the nursery box? We have been debating that problem for a few days. One of our Welsummer hens proved with the last clutch of hatchlings that they cannot be trusted with newly fledged chicks. I saw them peck one of them rather hard and later found one with the back of it's neck denuded of skin and feathers. Undoubtedly the Welsummers again. I think most of the problem was that the mom went back to the flock after only 2 weeks of brooding post hatching and started to lay again.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I have two chickens who have brooded together and they do get riled up at each other. Last summer the Sussex hen kept peck at the Dominique who ended up leaving the chicks to go hang out with the rooster. This year there is around 20 chick and I am wondering if I have to split them up they have started to fight. The Dominique is not as careful of a mother as the Sussex.

Hey Mellissa, being they have a history of not getting alone-----why don't you separate them in the beginning?? EVERY broody(72 in the last year) hen I have is put into a private broody pen------they all Hatch great, doing that is less stress on them as well as Me------no stress on me at all---just great hatches.