Broody Hen Thread!

[fisherlady]

Hi guys ! My hens eggs are due to hatch in about 4 days and she's sitting on 12 eggs I just wanted to ask you guys what would be the right thing to do. This is my first broody and she seems to be doing wonderfully with her eggs. Gets up on her own time and goes to the bathroom, eats and drinks and then right back to her eggs. The thing I'm curious about is I don't know whether to take her babies from her once they hatch or not and put them into my brooder. I currently already have 4 almost 2 week old chicks in my brooder but I figured after a bit they'd all get along if I put new babies in there. The reason I'm even considering taking them away is that first, I want to make sure they're friendly. Give them lots of handling and time with people like I've done with all my chickens and they all turned out very wonderful. My second reason being that the pen I was going to put her and her babies in has had some predator issues. It's right next to the chicken run but separate. It's a dog pen put we've put chicken wire around it. A week ago we put 3 little ducklings in there just because they were still small and then we were going to let them hang around our pond but a few days after they got put in there, one duckling dissapeared and then 2 days later I found the remains of another one... I didn't want my duckling to be lonely so I have her to my neighbor who has ducks and a pond. Anyway, I'm fearful that if I put momma and babies in there that some could get snatched away by whatever got the ducklings

I wouldn't take chicks from their broody. Take time to sit on the ground with them and provide treats and handle them and they can be people friendly too. You can interact with them just fine as long as you earn the broody's trust. The benefits they get from being raised by the broody far outweigh the benefits of brooder raising in my opinion.
You need to rethink your enclosure security if the ducklings were lost to predators...was it daytime losses or night? Was a predator able to come in over the top of the fence? Do you need to cover the top of the run with wire or netting? The chicks will remain vulnerable for many weeks, not just the first few when they are with the broody, in fact she will do better at teaching them how to watch for danger. It won't guarantee that they remain safe, but it is a better education than humans can provide them.

 

[16 paws]

Moving day tomorrow for Aggie and her 8, 4 and 3 day old chicks. Aggie is still stomping around doing her Sumo imitation. She is so funny. I take a small piece of WW bread and toss it to the back of the coop so nobody is near the door. Today, when I opened the coop door, she was waiting for me, grabbed the bread from my hand, slung it behind her and saved me the trouble of doing that.

Quick question. My little weak chick that I have been calling Pokey for want of a better name, is doing better. It is slowing gaining strength. Poor little thing is small for it's age but keeps up with it's brothers and sisters pretty much and runs after mom when she calls them. What I have noticed is that it seems to stand slightly apart from the other chicks and looks like it dozes on its little feet. I have also had to clean up it's little bottom a few times. No pasty butt, just a little on the crusty side. They have pro biotics in their water and vitamins (rooster booster) that I like to give them for a week or so after they are hatched and mom is on the road to recovery. It's eating well and drinking. Just not sure if there is anything else I should be doing besides offering support and hoping that a few more days to mature will help it along. It's definitely a little runt but a fighter.

Scrambled eggs

Hi guys ! My hens eggs are due to hatch in about 4 days and she's sitting on 12 eggs I just wanted to ask you guys what would be the right thing to do. This is my first broody and she seems to be doing wonderfully with her eggs. Gets up on her own time and goes to the bathroom, eats and drinks and then right back to her eggs. The thing I'm curious about is I don't know whether to take her babies from her once they hatch or not and put them into my brooder. I currently already have 4 almost 2 week old chicks in my brooder but I figured after a bit they'd all get along if I put new babies in there. The reason I'm even considering taking them away is that first, I want to make sure they're friendly. Give them lots of handling and time with people like I've done with all my chickens and they all turned out very wonderful. My second reason being that the pen I was going to put her and her babies in has had some predator issues. It's right next to the chicken run but separate. It's a dog pen put we've put chicken wire around it. A week ago we put 3 little ducklings in there just because they were still small and then we were going to let them hang around our pond but a few days after they got put in there, one duckling dissapeared and then 2 days later I found the remains of another one... I didn't want my duckling to be lonely so I have her to my neighbor who has ducks and a pond. Anyway, I'm fearful that if I put momma and babies in there that some could get snatched away by whatever got the ducklings

See bottom post

I wouldn't take chicks from their broody. Take time to sit on the ground with them and provide treats and handle them and they can be people friendly too. You can interact with them just fine as long as you earn the broody's trust. The benefits they get from being raised by the broody far outweigh the benefits of brooder raising in my opinion.
You need to rethink your enclosure security if the ducklings were lost to predators...was it daytime losses or night? Was a predator able to come in over the top of the fence? Do you need to cover the top of the run with wire or netting? The chicks will remain vulnerable for many weeks, not just the first few when they are with the broody, in fact she will do better at teaching them how to watch for danger. It won't guarantee that they remain safe, but it is a better education than humans can provide them.

I agree with fisherlady. I would take the time to re-inforce that area and let them stay with mama. I feel they learn so much from mama and it is a blast to watch mama train them. There is a lot going on between them that we cant see also. They have such a sense of security when they are with mama. Much more content.
good luck!!!

 

[JRabbit90]

Aw, pretty mama and pretty babies!  I love the red chicks, are they RIRs too?

Thank you! She's a lovely mommy. They're all RIR babies from my only rooster (who's also very sweet). It makes me wonder if they are really RIR lol.

4 weeks isn't unusual, many of my hens do 4-5 weeks in the warmer months and 6-7 weeks when it is colder.

That definitely makes a lot of sense. It's been getting pretty hot out here. It's just so weird to see some fluff on them still, but they're already situated with the flock and roosting with them. Thank you for clearing that up!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

@lydiagirl99

I agree with Fisherlady and 16Paws.

Leave the babies with momma. They will grow faster, stronger, and become much better chickens, and therefore ultimately happier, if left with momma.

Simply take the time to feed treats to momma and babies. My babies will run over my hands while momma takes feed and drops it on the ground for them. They soon learn that you are the friendly food person and will always run to greet you.

However, you will need to keep interacting with your chickens even after they've become older if you want them to continue to be calm around humans.

I've raised chicks in artificial brooders, handling them frequently, and under broodies, sometimes too busy to handle them frequently.

I have seen both types revert to standoffish behavior relatively quickly after they mature into pullets and join the flock. I do see a difference in those that were handled as chicks and those that were never handled as chicks. Those that are rarely handled are quite fearful of human interaction (at first) and often run and scream when picked up. Those that were handled seem better, but again can become quite standoffish if the handling and treating ends when they become full size (after a few month's time).

I don't worry that much about it as my chickens are barnyard friends not lap pets.

Even so, those that got very infrequent handling soon learn whose hand holds the treat bucket, and while they often won't take treats from my hand, they always run up with the others to greet me. Eventually, with a little time and effort, they come in closer and closer and relax when you are out with them especially if you get down close to their level. Most of them allow me to pick them off the roost without battle (even the young pullets who originally screamed, soon calm down with time and treats).

My experiences.
LofMc

 

[Elky]

My mamma went broody a bit ago! Her egg hatched and she has it now

I will try to get a pic today later!

 

[ChickMommaB]

Will a broody hen eat eggs that another chicken adds to the clutch?

 

[birds4kids]

Mine did not but I am sure there are exceptions. I used a sharpie to mark the hatching eggs so I could pull the others.

 

[lydiagirl99]

I wouldn't take chicks from their broody. Take time to sit on the ground with them and provide treats and handle them and they can be people friendly too. You can interact with them just fine as long as you earn the broody's trust. The benefits they get from being raised by the broody far outweigh the benefits of brooder raising in my opinion.
You need to rethink your enclosure security if the ducklings were lost to predators...was it daytime losses or night? Was a predator able to come in over the top of the fence? Do you need to cover the top of the run with wire or netting? The chicks will remain vulnerable for many weeks, not just the first few when they are with the broody, in fact she will do better at teaching them how to watch for danger. It won't guarantee that they remain safe, but it is a better education than humans can provide them.

Thank you so much everyone for your help ! I will leave the babies with momma and the predator came at nightime. There are large boards over the top of the enclosure. It looked like it got under the chicken wire and somehow got them.. I suppose I could tie the bottom on the chicken wire to the chain link and hopefully that'll help.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Will a broody hen eat eggs that another chicken adds to the clutch?

Not usually!

 

[Elky]

No, a hen will sit on any eggs she finds in her brooder box. At least in all my cases.