Broody Hen Thread!

[16 paws]

I counted at least 4 .....

 

[fisherlady]

i'm now getting a bit worried. i took some straw out (it was poking her in the face and she won't move) and suddenly there were mites. we didn't have mites 3 or 4 days ago. i checked her and the nest the last time she got off because people say it's such a common problem. and i now know i wouldn't have missed the feeling of them on my hands.

we quickly changed out the bedding and did a sevin dusting (i know this is not everyone's approach), i got her water w/ sugar and apple cider vinegar and scrambled egg. her comb is almost white in a small spot in the back and on 2 of the tips. the rest is around the color of lightly flushed cheeks. the normally red area around her eyes is almost gray. she is panting profusely and her eyes keep closing and she tips her head back. she is still concerned with her eggs, still making much less aggressive noises when i get close. it is VERY hot and humid in our garage. easily in the 90s. can i put in a fan if i blow it over her or to the wall next to her? can i just put in a covered bowl of ice to emit some cold? 

i have an incubator on hand and ready, and thankfully even though she is more than halfway through day 20 there were no external pips 4 hours ago. she doesn't look like she did 5 days ago, or even 2 days ago. she doesn't seem alert, she seems like she is struggling to stay awake. maybe this is totally normal, but it doesn't feel like what i would assume is normal for a hen.

edit: my instinct is to bring her inside where it's cool, but i am willing to bet everyone would advise against that.

I normally don't advise to feed on the nest but if your hen has been affected by mites then the situation is different than normal. I would save the hen as a priority and hope the hatch isn't adversely effected in the process. Definitely provide a cooling breeze near her, and offer some water boosted with either Save-a-Chick or Nutridrench to her. The risk of her fouling the nest is possible, but her health being at risk because of the mites is a bigger risk in my mind.
Cooked eggs, either Scrambled or mashed up hard boiled, would provide her with some good nutrition even in very small quantities.

Good luck, I hope it works out with both the hen and the eggs.

 

[thebulg]

I normally don't advise to feed on the nest but if your hen has been affected by mites then the situation is different than normal. I would save the hen as a priority and hope the hatch isn't adversely effected in the process. Definitely provide a cooling breeze near her, and offer some water boosted with either Save-a-Chick or Nutridrench to her. The risk of her fouling the nest is possible, but her health being at risk because of the mites is a bigger risk in my mind.
Cooked eggs, either Scrambled or mashed up hard boiled, would provide her with some good nutrition even in very small quantities.

Good luck, I hope it works out with both the hen and the eggs.

thank you so much for replying! it took me hours to make a final decision, but after realizing our garage was well over 100 degrees, we moved her and the nest. it was REALLY easy because of how we treated the nest for mites, and i don't know that we even disturbed the eggs. we got her into our walk in shower, in a bathroom that is a nice solid 80 degrees. i will work on getting some save-a-chick.

i am so glad to hear someone say that the hen is priority because that was kind of where my mind was going and what ultimately made me decide to move her. she wasn't going to survive heat like that and mites and i need her to last to the end of the hatch. obviously i want her to last indefinitely, but if she goes, the whole nest goes. i have my incubator set up and ready to go, but there isn't enough room for 15 eggs.

she seems to be doing better. she isn't panting as much, and she seems more alert and aware of her surroundings. but she is still very tired looking and her comb is much more pale than i think it's supposed to be. the area around her eyes is still mostly gray.

will do on the scrambled eggs. i was thinking about adding in some spinach to help up her iron as well, and the tip about expecting her to mess the nest is a good one. i will get a set of emergency supplies ready to change the nest out quickly if need be.

i do believe there is an external pip at this point, so realistically i think she just needs to make it 18 hours and then we can maybe make some real headway.

thank you so much.

 

[jmdarrow]

I'm concerned for my cochin who is brooding in a nesting box that is at least 2 feet off the floor.
Should I move her and her eggs at dark to a place on the floor?
In new to hatching and wasn't expecting my cochin to go broody. Should have known better, since my silkie just hatched 4 chicks Tuesday. Any advise is welcome. Thanks!
Jackie

 

[JayJo]

@thebulg I'm sorry to hear about the mites. Sounds like a tough situation, but it also sounds like you're doing everything you can. Hope to see some improvement soon.

I have loved reading about all the new chicks here! Congrats to everyone! My husband headed home this evening and has seen two chicks. By the time I get home on Tuesday they should be off the nest so hopefully then I'll get to see more.

 

[Mezzer]

They've all piped!!!! And they are ALL peeping up a storm. and Broody hen is getting annoyed at the activity below her. Lol. She's growling at her own eggs hatching. Silly girl

 

[Mezzer]

 

[katatonic123]

@microchick Little hatchlings are a week old now. They are still so teeny tiny hut they run around after momma. She's still sticking close to the coop with them. Looks like DiDi may be going broody again. Plan on braking her. It's getting too warm and I have absolutely no room for more right now. Working on the new coop as fast as I can....maybe a fall hatch of specific breeds. We'll see.

 

[Toosocs4]

Hi all, thought I would join the party

. I have a broody sitting on eggs due to hatch June 17th! Okay dumb question but its both of our first time hatching eggs lol---so for lockdown should I just stop taking the broody off the nest the 15th (3 days before hatch) or wait it'll I see an egg pip? Thanks

 

[microchick]

@microchick Little hatchlings are a week old now. They are still so teeny tiny hut they run around after momma. She's still sticking close to the coop with them. Looks like DiDi may be going broody again. Plan on braking her. It's getting too warm and I have absolutely no room for more right now. Working on the new coop as fast as I can....maybe a fall hatch of specific breeds. We'll see.

Same here. Aggie has been brooding in the 'old' coop. I plan to move them in a few days to the new coop then the old coop will become my rooster pen and grow out coop once the babies outgrow the nursery pen. I told DH that if another hen goes broody I just might get some hatching eggs of different breeds, maybe Delaware and Barred Rocks and stuff under her just to inject some new genes into my flock. I'm like you though and am almost to capacity......without building a bigger coop. If I do that I just might wind up sleeping in it at night.