Broody Hen Thread!

[microchick]

Hey PD-Riverman! Had my first 100% hatch last month with a first time broody! Really appreciate all the good advice you gave me way back when my first hen went broody. I'm starting to feel like I know a little about this now....darned little but I'm learning more everyday!

@ Mysterychick keep the pictures coming! They are great and the chicks are beautiful. I love the name Yeti! I've come to the conclusion broody poop sells more Brinsea incubators than any ad campaign ever has!

 

[PD-Riverman]

Hey PD-Riverman! Had my first 100% hatch last month with a first time broody! Really appreciate all the good advice you gave me way back when my first hen went broody. I'm starting to feel like I know a little about this now....darned little but I'm learning more everyday!

Great!! I miss my broodies-----If you had not seen I sold almost completely out because of the bird-flu scare a couple years ago---all the auctions in my driving range closed---I sold over 1200---all I got now is 17 adults and about 75 10 week old chicks growing. But I been hatching/selling some----I set about 80 of my own eggs a couple days ago and I got 178 more from a friend to set. Have not had a broody so far this year. Its been kinda sad walking the rows of chicken pens and seeing all the grass growing 3 to 4ft high in them.

 

[microchick]

Great!! I miss my broodies-----If you had not seen I sold almost completely out because of the bird-flu scare a couple years ago---all the auctions in my driving range closed---I sold over 1200---all I got now is 17 adults and about 75 10 week old chicks growing. But I been hatching/selling some----I set about 80 of my own eggs a couple days ago and I got 178 more from a friend to set. Have not had a broody so far this year. Its been kinda sad walking the rows of chicken pens and seeing all the grass growing 3 to 4ft high in them.

You'll get there. What's that old saying about being careful what you wish for? I had hatched 11 OEGB eggs in my incubator and the day they hatched a Welsummer hen went broody on me. My little flock of 22 is now up to 51. I hadn't read that you had sold so many birds. That had to be heartbreaking.

Now you need to get yourself about 6 really determined Silkies and fill those pens back up again!

 

[PD-Riverman]

Now you need to get yourself about 6 really determined Silkies and fill those pens back up again!

We do have a new Auction that open a hour away-----but---Gotta have eggs to hatch-----all I kept was some turkens and some project birds----the project birds are crossed so I do not want to hatch them----the turkens I have some in the incubator. I have been looking for 3 months in my area for a person that can sell me like 50 to 100 RIR, YB, Barred Rock, etc hatching eggs per week----with no luck. The friend I have been hatching for has no standard chickens---Yellow buff, RIR, barred rock, etc---she has them orpington and them Aym cermani Blue red lace, etc, etc---I do not want any of them----hard to sell more than a few of them where I go..

 

[mcclucker]

My first hen that went broody really dragged herself down into really poor condition. Next time she went broody I had a plan. Along with her Game Bird Finisher  I made certain I had a container of her favorites in front of her. Scrambled eggs, sunflower seeds and a helping of scratch grains. I also made sure she had probiotics and vitamins in her water. She came through it like a trooper the second time. She got off the nest daily but I made it a point to hand feed her the scrambled eggs and sunflower seeds once a day to make sure she was taking in extra protein and fat. 

Now I make it a point to at least get a quick feel of the keel bone on a broody when I pull eggs out from under her to candle them. If they start to feel a bit bony, out come the scrambled eggs sunflower seeds and doctored water. In fact, I make sure they are getting the Rooster Booster vitamins and probiotics from day one.

Sometimes ya just gotta do what cha gotta do to get them through 21 days.

@rage7299, how far along are they in their incubation? I've never had a team broody going. Lots of people have though and the hens also will share caring for the chicks after they hatch.

Thank you for this! I have my first broody - she's not even setting real eggs, but wood ones because I'm putting chicks under her next week. But I'm worried about her. Not sure she ate or drank anything at all today. Doesn't want her favorite treats. Any tips on encouraging her to drink and eat? If I pick her up and take her off the nest she just sits there then hops back on the nest. She has been broody almost a week now.

 

[microchick]

Thank you for this! I have my first broody - she's not even setting real eggs, but wood ones because I'm putting chicks under her next week. But I'm worried about her. Not sure she ate or drank anything at all today. Doesn't want her favorite treats. Any tips on encouraging her to drink and eat? If I pick her up and take her off the nest she just sits there then hops back on the nest. She has been broody almost a week now.

Whow, determined girl. The good news is that having chicks to fuss over will snap her out of her trance. Til then, unless you want to break her about all you can do is take her off the nest and keep doing what you are doing to urge her to eat. Has she presented you with a broody poo yet? If she has that is a sign that she is eating when your back is turned. Broody hens can be sneaky that way.

PD-Riverman, I'm going through the same thing trying to find somebody within driving distance who has fertile Silver Duckwing OEGB hatching eggs. I'd just rather not deal with shipped hatching eggs right now, not with our rural postal service. The ladies that run the post office are great, it's getting them safely there that I worry about. Funny thing is that I've found every color imaginable EXCEPT Silver Duckwings. I know how frustrating it can be. I've even gone through the state's poultry yearbook with little success. Even people who have them listed as a provided breed don't have eggs to spare or try to sell me Cochin bantam eggs. I don't do feather legged varieties thanks to the mud we get around here in the spring and late winter. This year it was up to my ankles. I can just see feather legged birds wearing dried mud boots and me chasing after them to chip it off several times a day.

 

[Mylied]

My girl Adore hatched her eggs this weekend. I got 2 male cream legbars, 2 female cream legbars, a showgirl, and a silkie. One cl got pecked in the head and the showgirl got abandoned after pipping and was shrinkwrapped so they are inside. The other 4 chicks are doing great with their mom. Silver's chicks are growing well too. I love seeing all these babies.

 

[Honora]

I set 20 eggs total under my 2 broodies, an orpington and a cochin bantam. After candling only 6 were Fertile, I took those 6 and gave them to my cochin because the orpington has broken 3 eggs in the past 5 days.

She looks a little pale Idk if I should be concerned or not

Mine do get pale when they are broody. I would check her for mites just to be sure though, cause they are more susceptible to getting mites while broody.

 

[mich9510]

I think I have my first brood girl. She's been sitting all day. My question is, what do I Do?
She is of course in one of the favorite nest boxes. Do I move her now? I'm going to let her have the eggs shes on but I don't know if I should just let her alone.....
What should I do?

 

[LadyCluck77]

Anyone have advice about giving a single chick to a broody?

I didn't turn off the incubator after my Easter hatch, figured I would clean it out after we got back from visiting family. Before we left, sold all 11 chicks and I assumed they were all I would get.

When we got back this morning, one more chick was in the incubator. A very late hatcher. So I'm hoping to give her to my broody.

She has only been broody for six days, will that be enough?

Should I wait a couple more days? Or just run the risk and try it late tonight?