Broody Hen Thread!

[urbannarnia27]

This is currently going on with one of my Cochins and she thinks she's a dragon!! It's been 3 weeks now and despite giving her a good dusting she has a sore looking breast bone. I kick her off the nest (it's outside, set up for summertime living) and literally lead her to water! Then she eats a bit and goes right back on- hissing at any of the others who dare look at her. Should I try and break her of this? It's our first time with this gal but not our first broody- they seem to snap out of it after a week or so...

 

[katatonic123]

If you are worming your chickens,can you set the eggs during withdrawal time or would that cause issues with development?

 

[towen91]

I have a complete disaster on my hands folks! I had one of my hens go broody on her own about a week ago. I decided to let her go ahead and give it a try! Well my other two hens decided to squeeze there bits in that same laying box next to her, and keep laying their eggs in the same dang laying box! Now there are who knows how many eggs in there, all laid at different times, and to top it off.........as of two days ago, on of my other girls has now gone broody................. Wait for it................ In the same dang laying box! (Yes there is a rooster, and eggs are fertilized). What in the world do I do?!?!?!

 

[16 paws]

I have a complete disaster on my hands folks! I had one of my hens go broody on her own about a week ago. I decided to let her go ahead and give it a try! Well my other two hens decided to squeeze there bits in that same laying box next to her, and keep laying their eggs in the same dang laying box! Now there are who knows how many eggs in there, all laid at different times, and to top it off.........as of two days ago, on of my other girls has now gone broody................. Wait for it................ In the same dang laying box! (Yes there is a rooster, and eggs are fertilized). What in the world do I do?!?!?!

I guess you are going to have to try and move one of them to a new spot. I would let the hen that has been sitting for a week have the eggs in case the other hen breaks when you move her. Give hen number two fake eggs and move her at night. Have her new nest all set up with food and water close by. Maybe use a dog kennel for her. Move some of the nesting material in there too. Cover the kennel for a day or two so she wont be freaked out about the move. When hen # 1 starts hatching let her hatch out some and then put the remaining under hen # 2 to finish. Then they will both be happy.
Good luck.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I have a complete disaster on my hands folks! I had one of my hens go broody on her own about a week ago. I decided to let her go ahead and give it a try! Well my other two hens decided to squeeze there bits in that same laying box next to her, and keep laying their eggs in the same dang laying box! Now there are who knows how many eggs in there, all laid at different times, and to top it off.........as of two days ago, on of my other girls has now gone broody................. Wait for it................ In the same dang laying box! (Yes there is a rooster, and eggs are fertilized). What in the world do I do?!?!?!

Candle the eggs for development. Give the more mature looking eggs to hen #1 (original hen). Give the less mature looking eggs to hen #2, or toss the less mature looking eggs and start hen #2 on fresh, set at the same time eggs.

Best is to move both to isolated broody nests. Second best is to block off that nesting box with the original hen and move hen #2 to a new, isolated, location, and see if you can settle her there. Move at night, nest and all, if possible. Otherwise set up nest, set eggs, then move hen.

This is the reason it is best to isolate and segregate hens....or....at least set eggs on the same day, marking them with the date set with a black marker, then remove subsequently laid eggs if it is a communal box. In laid back flocks, and assertive broody gals who give no truck to anyone, this can work.

If you have tussles over a nesting box, you will need to move or blockade as eggs tend to get kicked out or crushed.

At the very least, definitely plan on throwing up some sort of blockade on day 18 with hen #1; otherwise, hatching chicks will get trampled by the foot traffic for that popular nesting box. (I know of that which I speak).

Let us know how it goes.
LofMc

 

[towen91]

Candle the eggs for development. Give the more mature looking eggs to hen #1 (original hen). Give the less mature looking eggs to hen #2, or toss the less mature looking eggs and start hen #2 on fresh, set at the same time eggs.

Best is to move both to isolated broody nests. Second best is to block off that nesting box with the original hen and move hen #2 to a new, isolated, location, and see if you can settle her there. Move at night, nest and all, if possible. Otherwise set up nest, set eggs, then move hen.


This is the reason it is best to isolate and segregate hens....or....at least set eggs on the same day, marking them with the date set with a black marker, then remove subsequently laid eggs if it is a communal box. In laid back flocks, and assertive broody gals who give no truck to anyone, this can work.

If you have tussles over a nesting box, you will need to move or blockade as eggs tend to get kicked out or crushed.

At the very least, definitely plan on throwing up some sort of blockade on day 18 with hen #1; otherwise, hatching chicks will get trampled by the foot traffic for that popular nesting box. (I know of that which I speak).

Let us know how it goes.
LofMc

Thanks everybody! This is our first time, and I was attempting to try to let everything happen completely naturally from start to finish. I guess I'm going to have to get involved now!

 

[Arrakis]

Day 14, 11 out of the 13 left. Another hen layed in the nest and broke 2 eggs. I plan on locking her up in a few more days.

 

[MrsSalo]

I need advice. I've had one hen hatch out 3 chicks earlier in the spring. I left them with her in the coop on a wire dog crate until they were older(3 weeks). I need up losing them all.

Then, I had a gosling hatch out too...missing too!

Now I have 4 broody hens, today one of them has 2 chicks. I'm excited and really want these little ones to make it!
Do I bring them in to a brooder or let nature reign and trust mama with them? I have heard of others bringing the hen, neat and chicks in...

Thoughts? Advice?

 

[16 paws]

I need advice. I've had one hen hatch out 3 chicks earlier in the spring. I left them with her in the coop on a wire dog crate until they were older(3 weeks). I need up losing them all.

Then, I had a gosling hatch out too...missing too!

Now I have 4 broody hens, today one of them has 2 chicks. I'm excited and really want these little ones to make it!
Do I bring them in to a brooder or let nature reign and trust mama with them? I have heard of others bringing the hen, neat and chicks in...

Thoughts? Advice?

I would bring them in and put them in a safe spot with mama. They can get thru small openings so be prepared to make modifications to the dog crate. Usually the mama takes good care of them and they get hurt if they get away from mama and cant get back to her for protection.
You didnt say how you lost the 3 week old chicks???

 

[PD-Riverman]

I need advice. I've had one hen hatch out 3 chicks earlier in the spring. I left them with her in the coop on a wire dog crate until they were older(3 weeks). I need up losing them all.

Then, I had a gosling hatch out too...missing too!

Now I have 4 broody hens, today one of them has 2 chicks. I'm excited and really want these little ones to make it!
Do I bring them in to a brooder or let nature reign and trust mama with them? I have heard of others bringing the hen, neat and chicks in...

Thoughts? Advice?

Let me tell you what I do and why.

All my broodies are moved to a private pen at the beginning of her setting. I do this so she has privacy, so I do not have to bother her every day to remove fresh layed eggs like I would have to do is she was setting with the flock. She rarely looses a egg from getting broke by to many hens in a nest etc, like some do when they are setting with the flock. When she hatches her eggs, she stays in this broody pen until her chicks do not need her for warmth----then she is returned to the flock, But the chicks stay until they need to be moved to a larger pen, then they usually stay in the larger pen until they are grown---then If I want I might mix them with the flock or sell the older hens and replace them with these younger pullets.

The reason I do it this way is I was tired of broken eggs with my broody hens, other hens getting in her broody nest while she is taking a break causing her to get in the wrong nest when she comes back---causing her to loose all the eggs she had been setting on, tired of little chicks pecked/killed by the adult chickens after they hatch, broody moms having to fight and loosing the fight trying to protect their babies, snakes getting the chicks because they are not protected with smaller wire like the hatching pens. Now my broodies hatch about every fertile egg they have under them----rarely loose a hatched chick, most hatch chicks grow to adults---Makes raising chicks simple!!!

Now to answer your question----No """I""" would not bring them into the house but I would make a decent size pen for them to stay in--separated from the others----using 1/2" hardware cloth(wire) so the chicks can not get through it.