Broody Hen Thread!

[Selsley]

Hi guys.

I have a broody hen who just hatched out a chick! We've had loads of chicks but this is our first hick hatched by a hen. Is it alright for our broody hen to eat the starter with the chick? Or to I need to feed her layer pellets tot he side?

well your hen has been in a box for 3 weeks and wont leave the coop for another week, we had chicken food (not for laying) with grain corn and oats in it, throughout the set,
she didnt eat much a day, and it was the 1st thing the chicks ate as she could reach it from the nest, so she used that to teach them with,
she didnt eat the starter until the chicks roamed out the nest on day 2-3 and didnt eat much of it, day 4-5 she was digging up the floor chasing flies in the coop,
day 7 she took them outside twice for 15 minutes, day 8 they were in and out all day, day 9 they were out with the hens and in at dusk with the hens. only going inside periodically.
they did and still do eat the starter but mainly theyre on the same diet as the hens, if the starter is good enough for young chicks growth, then i'd say it was good for a broody thats been in a box for 4 weeks. may help her get her strength back, our 6 chicks are a month old and we still have most of the 10kilo bag, although the nursery is in the coop and all the hens have access to the starter, i have not seen any of them eating it.

 

[FaerieChicken]

Well my first time broody finally hatched an egg over the weekend. Out of 9 eggs set, only 1 survived all the way through! The broody is Bullet, a Silver Penciled Rock/Light Brown Leghorn cross. She is very pretty! The rest of the eggs that did not make it, 6 of them were pecked open by a Blue Jay, them **** birds don't even eat the egg, just peck it an leave it, I have such a problem with these birds. Its my fault though. I had moved Bullet out of the main coop to a broody pen, and she got out and couldn't get back in, and while she was out is when the Blue Jays struck! Then because the Blues didn't eat the contents, wasps did! it was horrible, and sad, I actually saw the black fetus in one egg as the wasps were in there drinking up all they could.

So I decided to put here back into the main coop with her remaining 3 eggs. Well, while candling them in their final week, 1 was lost to human error, I dropped it and was so upset at myself. But they were all progressing very well. Then on Saturday, I went after work to check on Bullet, and low n behold, there was a chick! SQUEAL and I was just waiting for the other to hatch. but then, to my sad surprise, on Sunday, Bullet had switched crates, and left the last egg. I took it and shoved it under her. It was already very cold at that point, but I was hopeful! Unfortunately on Monday, Bullet decided to take her single, solitary chick on an outing, leaving the egg to again become cold. I candled, and could not see any movement, there appeared to be liquid inside. It would not hold warmth any more, despite my "Towel in the Dryer" trick. I decided that the chick had died in shell, and I opened it, and yes, it had, still had a significant amount of yolk sack left, just like the one I had accidentally dropped, but this one was more developed. Who knows what happened to it, poor thing.

I am glad though that Bullet gets to be a first time momma, and unlike her predecessor, Nubs whom is a bad, very bad momma that doesn't teach the chicks how to eat, I think Bullet is doing a great job so far!

This is Bullet!

Here she is with her chick, and some pics of her 1 and only baby to raise as a new momma! My Silkie momma has been trying to be broody, she is ALWAYS on the the nest of anyone who lays an egg, despite me taking them from here, silly little girl!

 

[billiejw89]

How long will this hen continue to care for her chicks? I don't remember exact date but I believe they are well over 8 weeks!!
All 6 of them follow her wherever she goes and she makes her mother sounds to them. She tries as best as she can to huddle everyone together at night.

 

[fisherlady]

How long will this hen continue to care for her chicks? I don't remember exact date but I believe they are well over 8 weeks!!
All 6 of them follow her wherever she goes and she makes her mother sounds to them. She tries as best as she can to huddle everyone together at night.

Some hens 4 weeks, some 8, some as long as 10 or 12. There just isn't an exact answer. I woke say average is 6 weeks.

Of our hens, 4 weeks is shortest, and that is our Gracie during warm weather, her winter hatches she keeps 6-7 weeks. Our longest hens were 13-14 weeks before cutting the apron strings.

 

[microchick]

She's a good momma.

I candled 4 of my broody's donated eggs tonight and breathed a sigh of relief. The ones our neighbor gave us look to be very early. I'm not even seeing any veining in them yet so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Lil'girl is a first time broody so I'm keeping a close eye on her. So far she's being a very good broody.

 

[billiejw89]

Some hens 4 weeks, some 8, some as long as 10 or 12. There just isn't an exact answer. I woke say average is 6 weeks.

Of our hens, 4 weeks is shortest, and that is our Gracie during warm weather, her winter hatches she keeps 6-7 weeks. Our longest hens were 13-14 weeks before cutting the apron strings.

wow! that is a long time. it is so cute watching her with her babies. Last year she had a failed hatch, I felt so bad. This time she hatched all 6 of the eggs i gave her, she deserves to mother them as long as she wants to. we love her.

 

[microchick]

My Aggie stayed with her first clutch for only two weeks. Her second, 6 weeks. She wanted back with the flock twice but after spending 10 minutes being chased by amorous roosters wanted back with her chicks. Guess she figured having the little pin heads hanging on her was better than having her bones jumped every time she turned around by two determined roosters.

Sometimes I think it's the same reason that convinces her to go broody.

 

[Selsley]

our hen is at 1month so far, she left the nursery under the nest boxes 6 days ago and showed them what perches are for and they have now taken up residence in a nest box with all the chicks squeezed in. they were jumping across to the second perch tonight so maybe theyre testing the water.
although they still come running when mum calls, they are spread out in the garden more doing their own thing, and not all go running when she has food, they are pretty good hunters and foragers, they also like to play in the dirt, sunbathe and climb on the pile of branches, or play hide and seek under it, i think the brooder will start distancing herself soon,

as for the roosters, they aint caught her yet, shes either sitting on a pile of logs or managing to get herself up on the perimeter fence to the patio escaping their advances. not seen an egg from her yet so i wont expect her to be 100% in the flock till i do.

 

[wyandottegirl]

HELP!!! I just realized that my mother hen has a bad case of lice. I'm not quite sure what to do. She has one chick which I don't want getting lice. I have washed her in soap, then bleach, then vinegar. I got quite a few of them off, but there are still a ton left, mainly young white ones. I don't want to use dusting powder as the baby will be burying under her feathers.
Would the lice even go for the chick? Does anyone have any idea how i could get them off her without harming the baby?

Thank you!

 

[carlf]

15 week update on the 11 eggs my Little Hen set and hatched, ended up with 5 pullets, 5 cockerels and 1 undetermined. At 9 weeks I butchered all but 5 pullets.
15 weeks ago:


Today, these are the three hens I kept out of 5 pullets, other 2 went back to the friend who gave me the eggs. Kept the ones with the most EE characterstics. (Moms are EE, dad is light brahman):