Broody Hen Thread!

[rmgo722]

Only a week old, but my coop is about 18 in off the ground

 

[katatonic123]

Broody #1 on day 18...lockdown day! All bantam eggs so will likely have babies tomorrow or Wednesday.

 

[microchick]

Seven little "Reds" running around? Oh my!

Better than 7 Bo's that like to do rear end, sneak behind your back and gore you in the leg attacks!

I can handle two roosters close by when they are behaving themselves, but toss in an instigator and all bets are off.I hate having to wear body armor in the run and coop.

 

[chuckachucka]

Hi I have a question about broody hens. I have just one hen and one cockerel and the hen just started laying eggs. We have had three eggs so far and I would like to hatch them into chicks but will she sit on them? I mean if a hen is laying fertilised eggs will she automatically become 'broody' or not? If not is there any way to encourage her to sit on the eggs? So far after three eggs she is still wandering out of the coop all day, not yet sitting.

 

[16 paws]

Better than 7 Bo's that like to do rear end, sneak behind your back and gore you in the leg attacks!

I can handle two roosters close by when they are behaving themselves, but toss in an instigator and all bets are off.I hate having to wear body armor in the run and coop.

Sometimes those boys need a

 

[microchick]

I was thinking more along the line of a well placed foot and wearing the offender like a bedroom slipper!

 

[Puddin Fluff]

Chuck a chuck a
Sorry but mu phone won't let me quote. There is no guarantee that a hen will ever go broody. You can encourage her by having an inviting nest, soft, clean, and darrk. Also, leave golf balls or fake eggs in the nest. If you leave real ones they will go bad and have the chance of being broken

Good luck.

 

[Morrigan]

If you give a broody hen just one chick to raise, will it be OK?

So far 3 of my 5 eggs in the bator have hatched and another one is pipping. I'm pretty sure egg #5 is going to be a quitter. Problem is I set the eggs when I had ONE broody hen, now I have THREE. That means one hen will get 2 chicks and others just 1 each.

There is a feed store 2 1/2 hours away that sells chicks. I could give the two that have been broody longer two chicks each and buy another couple of chicks for the last hen. I really don't want or need more chicks as I already have 12 young 'uns from an earlier hatch. But, I want backyard harmony. What to do?

 

[the poppster]

If you give a broody hen just one chick to raise, will it be OK?

So far 3 of my 5 eggs in the bator have hatched and another one is pipping.  I'm pretty sure egg #5 is going to be a quitter.   Problem is I set the eggs when I had ONE broody hen, now I have THREE.   That means one hen will get 2 chicks and others just 1 each.  

There is a feed store 2 1/2 hours away that sells chicks.  I could give the two that have been broody longer two chicks each and buy another couple of chicks for the last hen.  I really don't want or need more chicks as I already have 12 young 'uns from an earlier hatch.  But, I want backyard harmony.    What to do?
 

one or one hundred! They will mother away!

 

[the poppster]

Only a week old, but my coop is about 18 in off the ground

Keep them separately for a few weeks. Then you can open it up and let them mingle....mom will have a hissy fit...might get into a hen fight....but should settle down after a bit....stick around, you can step in and calm things down...yes they pay attention to your direction. You are the Big Bird! A good time is about an hour before dark. That way the birds won't have much time to get to worked up. And if the little ones don't know what to do, and where to go, you can give them a little direction.