Broody Hen Thread!

[MayhemMarr]

Yes, ducks go broody, usually more seasonal than chickens and some breeds more often than others. Duck eggs are longer to incubate, 28 days +, again it depends on breed.

what about pekins? I have 4, 2 that are laying and I have a drake Rouen

 

[nchls school]

ok so what is with the ducks? do they not go broody? and do they take longer to hatch than chicken eggs? if so by how much?

Around the 28 days mentioned already. Muscovey ducks take 35 days. Some domestic breeds have a poor broody instinct; if at all. What kind of ducks do you have?

 

[MayhemMarr]

Around the 28 days mentioned already. Muscovey ducks take 35 days. Some domestic breeds have a poor broody instinct; if at all. What kind of ducks do you have?

I have 2, 2y pekins that are laying nicely, 2, 7m pekins , 1 Rouen drake and 2 Muscovey ducklings

 

[fisherlady]

what about pekins? I have 4, 2 that are laying  and I have a drake Rouen

I'm sorry, I'm not familiar enough with ducks to know, I just have some general knowledge of the incubation times and brooding habits based on conversations here. Breed specific info I would have to research. I believe there are a handful of threads which are duck specific where some folks with hands on experience could help answer those questions.

 

[pamperedamber]

It is so hot here 98-103 and zero humidity. The past 2 days. My hen still has 10 eggs left to hatch. They are on day 22 now. She kind of sits on them during the day, it's more of a Hovering over them but at night she covers them completely. 6 chicks hatched between Thursday night and Saturday night before the temps rose and humidity dropped. Should I take the eggs from her and put them in the incubator to finish the hatch or just leave them for now? This is her first hatch and mine. Will she know if they aren't going to hatch? Or will she just sit on them until I take them away?

 

[fisherlady]

It is so hot here 98-103 and zero humidity. The past 2 days. My hen still has 10 eggs left to hatch. They are on day 22 now. She kind of sits on them during the day, it's more of a Hovering over them but at night she covers them completely. 6 chicks hatched between Thursday night and Saturday night before the temps rose and humidity dropped. Should I take the eggs from her and put them in the incubator to finish the hatch or just leave them for now? This is her first hatch and mine. Will she know if they aren't going to hatch? Or will she just sit on them until I take them away?

I don't remember how she got such a staggered hatch but staggered hatches are not good for chicks or broodies. I would remove the eggs to an incubator and let her get to the business of taking her already hatched chicks out and about. If you are lucky you might be able to graft late hatchers back to her, though after 3 or 4 days it may not be safe for the ypunger ones, since they may not be able to keep up.

 

[lpyrbby]

I am a beginner myself but I did grow up around chickens at my grandparents. My TSC 6 month old White Rock hen just woke up one day and wanted to be a Momma. It has been almost 3 weeks and she is still relentless. I just moved her to a solitary suite in the doghouse where she quickly went back to sitting on her eggs. This sweet hen has been a wonderful brooder so far, hanging in there through 90+ degree heat the first 2 weeks!

Thanks for your input Neat to see you're in SC too!

 

[pamperedamber]

I don't remember how she got such a staggered hatch but staggered hatches are not good for chicks or broodies. I would remove the eggs to an incubator and let her get to the business of taking her already hatched chicks out and about. If you are lucky you might be able to graft late hatchers back to her, though after 3 or 4 days it may not be safe for the ypunger ones, since they may not be able to keep up.

Thank you I will try to remove the eggs.

 

[Selsley]

When it comes to first time hatchery broodies, have they been successful at all or is them getting off the nest early a more likely possibility? In my case, I'm thinking of the Australorp who was thinking about it, but changes and stress probably made her rethink it.

I seem to remember that some hens will try to brood very shortly after being "broken" if it's something they want to do. If Betty goes broody, I really want to give her some eggs to hatch, but would hate to do it if the odds are against the first time broody hatch. I'm probably overthinking it because I have nothing better to do

sister bought 3 hens at point of lay, about 2 months after her 1st egg, one went broody and now has 6 very fine 9 week old chicks, all eggs we expected her to hatch, hatched, and id say she is now one of the tamest chickens in the flock, apart from one of the chicks which allows you to pick it up.

 

[Selsley]

Can you move a broody hen and her eggs? I tried to move mine to a separate coop but she got really frustrated and wouldn't sit on the eggs, so I moved her back. I haven't tried moving her at night, but I fear if I do that she'll abandon her eggs. Any help is greatly appreciated!! Thanks!

we moved ours on day 3 of her set, although she was likely broody 2 or 3 days before that, we just put her in a nest under the 3 nest boxes for the hens, we did it just before dark, i grabbed her, sister grabbed the eggs and she was put on them, she happily stayed there all night. next day she was off them, the eggs were cold and she was back up top in an empty nest. at which point i took her out and put her back. she would happily sit on the eggs where we wanted her to, but after going for short runs outside she would forget where she should be, so i started blocking her in, then removing the barrier mid afternoon and monitor her activity, put her back in the nest and block her back in, after about a week she started returning to the eggs herself, and the barrier wasnt replaced again.
all 6 hatched