Broody Hen Thread!

[fisherlady]

Well, thanks to the great guidance and advice I received here in BYC, moving Momma went okay!
I just kept telling myself that, despite her theatrics, at the end of the day she is still just a 10 pound chicken "who doesn't have teeth." Haha!
(...however, being the coward that I am, I still wore gloves and a long sleeve shirt.)
I threw some of the girls favorite treats right outside the door so she could see the other hens happily enjoying them.; then I went in quick and authoritative, swooped her up off the nest and plunked her out with the other hens.
She puffed and shrieked, but didn't really try to peck too much.
She was sitting on five eggs. We'll see how long it takes to break the spell...

 

[lydiagirl99]

Momma hen hatched 7 babies out of the original 12. Not the best hatch rate but still better than mine !

She is being such a good mom it warms my heart. This was my first broody and seeing the little babies crawling all over her and her just accepting it is so cute. She does look extremely tired, though. I mean, she was hatching babies all night.

 

[the poppster]

Well, thanks to the great guidance and advice I received here in BYC, moving Momma went okay!
I just kept telling myself that, despite her theatrics, at the end of the day she is still just a 10 pound chicken "who doesn't have teeth." Haha!
(...however, being the coward that I am, I still wore gloves and a long sleeve shirt.)
I threw some of the girls favorite treats right outside the door so she could see the other hens happily enjoying them.; then I went in quick and authoritative, swooped her up off the nest and plunked her out with the other hens.
She puffed and shrieked, but didn't really try to peck too much.
She was sitting on five eggs. We'll see how long it takes to break the spell...

just keep it up! Cooler weather sometimes helps, but besides putting her in a broody breaker cage with just food and water, that's a cage suspended off the floor with no bedding, so the air can flow around her breast and cool her off, the cooling helps to back off the raging hormones that are causing the broody behavior in the first place! Chasing her off the nest is the only way I've found works for most of them....eventually. It's rare but some broodys have brooded themselves to death, basically making themselves sick, by starving, dehydration and inactivity. So nipping it in the bud, is the best thing to do....no matter how much she protests! It's for her own good. Good luck!

 

[the poppster]

Momma hen hatched 7 babies out of the original 12. Not the best hatch rate but still better than mine ! e She is being such a good mom it warms my heart. This was my first broody and seeing the little babies crawling all over her and her just accepting it is so cute. She does look extremely tired, though. I mean, she was hatching babies all night. 

Cool! I could watch a hen and Chicks, like some people stare at an aquarium! When moving a hen and Chicks, I've had to lift her gently and give her a little shake! To dislodge the chicks crawling around in her feathers! It's so funny when you check in on mom and chicks, make a clucking noise and little heads pop out of her feathers, all over her body! She looks like a chicken "Madussa" (I think that's the thing with multiple heads?) And I know I misspelled it. Anyway I think you get the point. So Cool!

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

Cool! I could watch a hen and Chicks, like some people stare at an aquarium! When moving a hen and Chicks, I've had to lift her gently and give her a little shake! To dislodge the chicks crawling around in her feathers! It's so funny when you check in on mom and chicks, make a clucking noise and little heads pop out of her feathers, all over her body! She looks like a chicken "Madussa" (I think that's the thing with multiple heads?) And I know I misspelled it. Anyway I think you get the point. So Cool!

I think you mean Hydra though I guess Medusa would work as well since Im sure you "Freeze like a stone" for a moment when you see all those little heads pop out

 

[lydiagirl99]

Yes ! So incredibly sweet. I had to move momma and babies in their own pen and I had a hard time making sure I got everybody

 

[urbannarnia27]

@lydiagirl99 Hi! Can you tell me what their personal pen looks like? We are due to hatch tomorrow and I want to be ready if I need to be (newbie here!) thanks!

 

[lydiagirl99]

Believe it or not, I'm quite the newbie, too :b Their personal pen is just a dog pen with chicken wire wrapped all around it so the babies cannot get out. It has food and water and a place for them to sleep at night with bedding in it obviously. Heres a picture of momma and one of the babies.

 

[the poppster]

I think you mean Hydra though I guess Medusa would work as well since Im sure you "Freeze like a stone" for a moment when you see all those little heads pop out

The one with all the heads! It's what came to mind, the first time I witnessed it. Guess I'd better review my mythical creatures. It was so funny! Don't know about anyone else, but it made my day! Still smile when I see it in my minds eye.

 

[vpatt]

Do count hatch day from the first day the broody began sitting or the second day? Sorry, that just escapes me since i havent had chicks this year.