Broody Hen Thread!

[Northernelf]

I had a barred rock go broody. I bought some eggs which should be here today to put under her because I wanted some more chickens. Last night when I got home from work I found that she had swapped nests to the one in that may have more than the one egg she was sitting on. I have my fingers crossed and asked my brother in law to go out in the mornings when the girls usually lay and pull any laid eggs so when she gets up to eat she will only have the fertilized eggs to sit on. We will see how this works.

 

[staceydanny]

Perfect thank you just let nature take its course now

 

[LoveOfChickens1]

I wanted to show a video of Joan Jett with one of her newly hatched chicks. Out of 6 viable eggs she was able to hatch 3 chicks. This was her 1st time hatching so I thought she did pretty well. Any how, here she is showing one of her chicks how to look for tidbits. Watch until the end when the chick realizes she's walking away and does that wing-flap-running thing they do. <3

 

[therainfam]

ADDED 2 WEEK OLD CHICKS TO AN ALREADY MOTHERING BROODY HEN THREE WEEKS IN. A little tip or trick to adding baby chicks (two weeks old) to a broody hen with other chicks (3 weeks old) already under her. We had a broody hen that successfully hatched 3 silkes from eggs under her. However, we had a messed up delivery of additional fertile eggs of black copper marans that didn't come until a week later. Two of these hatched the following week in an incubator. We kept the two in the house in their own brooder for a little over two weeks, until I knew we had to get them out of the house for incoming guests. We have a brooder outside that had the broody hen and three silkies. I decided it was time to boot the broody hen out and put a heater brooder in for all five of the chicks. That didn't go over so well, because the broody hen went crazy and the other hens went crazy on her. So, trying to figure out how to please everyone, we put a screen divider into the brooder. This was built to be able to add or take away the divider at any point. We put the five chicks together on one side with the heater brooder, and the broody hen on the other side. We noticed that they all laid against the divider on each side, the chicks not under the heater. So we moved the heater to accommodate their wanting to lay next to the mother hen. The mother did the same, obviously wanting to lay on the chicks. We left them that way a couple of days, then let them free range for a bit together. She was gentle with the other chicks. She let them eat from her beak, dropped food for them, etc. We separated them again, and then tried it again a day later. Same result. We pulled the divider, and put them all together. Low and behold, all five chicks were nestled warmly under the broody hen's wings for the night. Very happy about this! To be specific, the silkies were hatched July 5th. The BCM were hatched July 12th. We housed the BCM in house until July 26th (2 weeks old, silkies were 3 weeks old), and moved them all together on July 28th. If anyone is interested, I can post pictures tomorrow.

 

[Mysticfishtales]

I currently have 2 hens in one box.
My Buff Orphington went broody last Friday and Sunday my Partridge Rock decided to join her in t box. I tried separating them but they won't have it. They each have separate clutches in the box and haven't squabbled or taken the others eggs but I'm nervous.
I think I'm going to stop trying to interfere and let them handle it at least until the eggs hatch and then only get involved if the chicks are in danger.
On the upside, I candled some eggs when one went out for food(she's a pecker) and both have at least 3 viable eggs!
Now for the wait......

 

[Selsley]

Quote:

ADDED 2 WEEK OLD CHICKS TO AN ALREADY MOTHERING BROODY HEN THREE WEEKS IN. A little tip or trick to adding baby chicks (two weeks old) to a broody hen with other chicks (3 weeks old) already under her. We had a broody hen that successfully hatched 3 silkes from eggs under her. However, we had a messed up delivery of additional fertile eggs of black copper marans that didn't come until a week later. Two of these hatched the following week in an incubator. We kept the two in the house in their own brooder for a little over two weeks, until I knew we had to get them out of the house for incoming guests. We have a brooder outside that had the broody hen and three silkies. I decided it was time to boot the broody hen out and put a heater brooder in for all five of the chicks. That didn't go over so well, because the broody hen went crazy and the other hens went crazy on her. So, trying to figure out how to please everyone, we put a screen divider into the brooder. This was built to be able to add or take away the divider at any point. We put the five chicks together on one side with the heater brooder, and the broody hen on the other side. We noticed that they all laid against the divider on each side, the chicks not under the heater. So we moved the heater to accommodate their wanting to lay next to the mother hen. The mother did the same, obviously wanting to lay on the chicks. We left them that way a couple of days, then let them free range for a bit together. She was gentle with the other chicks. She let them eat from her beak, dropped food for them, etc. We separated them again, and then tried it again a day later. Same result. We pulled the divider, and put them all together. Low and behold, all five chicks were nestled warmly under the broody hen's wings for the night. Very happy about this! To be specific, the silkies were hatched July 5th. The BCM were hatched July 12th. We housed the BCM in house until July 26th (2 weeks old, silkies were 3 weeks old), and moved them all together on July 28th. If anyone is interested, I can post pictures tomorrow.

our araucana chicks at 5 days old and already catching flies and looking out the coop hatch. the other chickens came to look yesterday when they we being taught my mum to scratch the ground for insects, and run after flies, they were all running around the coop chirping when 2 of our other hens came in to see what was going on. they seemed quite intrieged seeing 6 little chicks running about.

now 8 days old

 

[Grizzlepuff]

Hiya!
I have 60 ish chickens. Had about 5 broody hens. all have been broken except for one (i just kept removing them from the coop and dunked each in water once). She is super stubborn! i've attempted to put her in cages, but she cuts up her face trying to escape. i felt bad, so i removed her after trying twice on two different days (probably no more that 15 minutes each time). i've put ice packs under her, put her in an elevated nest with a fan under her, dunked her in water, and now i've just blocked her off from the coop. seriously pulling my hair out over this! An older broody hen went unnoticed and she's as thin as a rail so i do not want this girl to go through the same thing. she's yellow, pretty plump, and a very mellow temper. just really wants to sit in that box. she seems so content in there, but i know it's not healthy if there are no eggs to hatch. I'm in southern california so it's super hot too. she also starts fights when she's outside with the other girls, only cause i think they have established territories and she's kinda in limbo. We have a 3 acre radius of walkable land. they roam free which is probably why she freaks out so freakin' much when i put her in a cage. Please help? it's taking forever.. i'd like to hear a success story from someone who was in a similar situation.. Thanks!
-Grizz

 

[microchick]

Grizzlepuff, IMHO sometimes ya just can't break 'em, meaning sometimes it's easier to declare defeat and stick a few eggs under the determined girl and let her have her way then drive yourself nutz trying to break her. I have a flock of 31 right now. Started with 12 then that chicken math kicked in. Of my dozen laying hens, Buff O's, Welsummers and Speckled Sussex I have one little Buff O hen who has been my consistent broody. She first went broody on me last December right before Christmas. After three days in the broody box, she broke only to go broody again in February. As it was towards the end of the month I caved and let her hatch out 8 chicks. She went broody again in April (leaving fake eggs in the nests really does make them go broody!)and once again successfully hatched out 8 live chicks. The babies are 6 weeks old. Here are her 4 girls;

Dusti



Taffy:

Lacy:

and Dolly:

The boys are to follow. I'm so pleased with the job Aggie did with these chicks. She only stayed with the first clutch for two weeks but stayed with these for a month. I told the girls to take a break now. No more broodies for awhile. I guess you know what that means.....somebody is bound to go broody on me, LOL.

 

[da5stringking]

I LOVE my broody Buff Orpington hen. We don't (can't) have any roosters, but each year when she goes into a broody spell, I get 6-8 fertilized eggs from other locals and put them under her. (I mark them with an 'X' because she still likes to collect other eggs from the other nesting boxes.) She is a great hatcher and a great protective mother. She does a great job integrating the chicks that she hatches into the flock with the rest of the girls. We usually get a mixed batch--she has raised Rhode Island Reds, Black Stars, Barred Rocks, White Leg Horns, etc. She tries going broody a few months after her chicks are grown, but I just throw her out of the coop and it snaps her out of it. When she starts brooding in the spring (about April), that's when I put her to work.

I will try to post a pic of her soon. She just went through a molt and looks absolutely beautiful now that she has all of her new "buff" feathers.

 

[Elliot Moose]

Here is a question for the thread. It has been asked 1000 times. It will now be asked 1001 times. How old should chicks be before you open the door to their dog cage and let momma and babies roam with the flock?

Broody Brahma #2 hatched 7 beautiful, strong, healthy Ameraucana chicks on Sunday. She is in a dog cage that is large enough to hold a labrador retriever. The dog cage is in the coop with the rest of the hens. This is day 3 and she is still content in the cage, but now nconstantly has the water full of wood shavings from trying to dust bath. No biggie, but just wondering when most would open the door and let her take chicks out I also worry about the reasonably steep ramp that leads to the great outdoors if she choses to take her chicks outside outside.

I know everyone has different opinions, but I would like to hear them.