Broody Hen Thread!

[WVduckchick]

She is a Partridge Brahma. She is a first time broody about 10 months old. She is only my second broody. My last we only had 5 eggs under her and we had to move her at the last minute. Fortunately, it went ok. She had one hatch and it was ice cold out and for some reason it was out of the nest. So with no incubator, I created a nest in a old dog crate, warmed the shavings, warmed a towel, wrapped the eggs in a warm towel ran them in and put them in the nest, grabbed mamma and ran her in the crate, and waited.. fortunately, after about 30 min, she climbed back up on the nest and set and hatched 2 more of the 5. The remaining were not fertile.. the first chick didn't make it.



I just wanted to plan for it this time... LOL

Wow! She's pretty!!

I have moved them at different times (time of day, and stage of incubation), but personally, I think just after it gets good and dark is best. Gives them the whole night in the dark to settle in. I usually get my husband to help, he moves momma, I move the eggs.

This last broody of mine was the oddest ever. I kept finding her off of eggs that had pips and half-zips!! I ended up hatching 4 for her in the incubator and she hatched the other 3. I waited till dark, and tucked the chicks back under her rear. The final one last night was cold when I found it. I tapped the egg and thought it was dead, but I tucked it in my shirt while I checked all the other pens, then I heard peeping! Took it inside and sat it in the incubator and it finally hatched. Beautiful little splash, I'm so glad I caught it in time.

 

[jnckids]

She's sitting on 28 eggs believe it or not. 3 of them are tiny eggs. We meant to mark them on day 2 but forgot and I think she collected more because I only collected 5 eggs instead of 8-10. Soooo... they are due between 5/9-5/11 LOL!!! She's a pecker too. When you reach in, she pecks you. It caught me off guard the first time because my last broody was so docile.

 

[Kiawaki]

Hi all, does anybody have a comment on hens that love to sit in nesting boxes for several hours a day but are not broody? Are they getting ready to go broody? I've been collecting eggs regularly so they don't yet have a proper batch, but they still like to sit in there for 3-4 hours, and later they walk away to forage. And they all prefer the same box :/

Beautiful brahma you have there, jnckids. We have 2 of the same breed, last year they both went broody on the same batch of eggs, so they kept pushing each other and the eggs around. It was quite unplanned from my perspective, we already had enough small chicks and we went for a 4 day holiday in late June, asked neighbors to feed the birds, and when we came back one brahma was sitting on eggs and growling at us. The other joined a week later. Only a few chicks hatched, and only one survived, I guess all that competition between the 2 hens damaged the embryos. The one that survived was very cute, followed her mommy for 2 months, and still walks in some kind of babyish trot. Some of her babies should be hatching in our incubator right about now.

 

[BlueShadow]

Of course! I have 8 bantam cochins arriving at the farm store tomorrow, and up to 12 chicks hatching in the incubator Thursday, and TODAY my hen goes broody. Where was the broodiness 3 weeks ago?

That is chicken cooperation!

This is her second year of laying, last year she was a fairly persistent broody. I broke her broodiness twice and she raised hatched and raised one brood of chicks. Is there ANY chance she would adopt and raise these chicks? I don't expect so, but it would be ever so much more convenient for me if she did, so I thought I would at least ask!

 

[BlueShadow]

Hi all, does anybody have a comment on hens that love to sit in nesting boxes for several hours a day but are not broody? Are they getting ready to go broody? I've been collecting eggs regularly so they don't yet have a proper batch, but they still like to sit in there for 3-4 hours, and later they walk away to forage. And they all prefer the same box

Everybody knows that there is only one good nest box, so of course all your hens want to lay in it

Some hens like to sit in the nest box for a long time, just relaxing. I would look at other behaviors to judge if they are likely getting ready to go broody or not. Things such as - how does she act as you walk up to the nest box? Puff up her feathers, or maybe a glazed look in her eye "I can't see you." - basically behaviors indicating she is NOT going to move willingly? Also I check their chest, and see if they have been pulling out feathers.

 

[mcclucker]

Hey all - my chicks are coming tomorrow - should I attempt to graft them to my broody tomorrow night or should I wait a full day after I get them? I kind of want to make sure they are healthy, eating, drinking, no pasties. Will an extra day make it harder to graft them?


Eeeeeeee I'm so excited! Here she is al puffed up and mad at me for taking her off her nest to eat and poop.

 

[Kristi26]

I think I might have my first Broody hen! She's been sitting almost exclusively for the last three or four days. She doesn't go far from the coop and she got a little grumbly when I came in to check on her. She has three eggs to sit on. Is she broody? Any obvious signs to watch for that she definitely is?

Thanks!

 

[Becca51]

Ok I have a question. I have a blue Cochin that has gone broody on me. She was sitting all weekend so last night I stuck some extra eggs under her and seems to didn't mind at all. My question is . . . .when can I move her? She is in the nest boxes that are almost 3 feet high. I do have a nice quiet spot ready that is on the floor of another coop so would like to take her there when I can. How long do I wait to move or is it best to move early on?

 

[BlueShadow]

Ok I have a question. I have a blue Cochin that has gone broody on me. She was sitting all weekend so last night I stuck some extra eggs under her and seems to didn't mind at all. My question is . . . .when can I move her? She is in the nest boxes that are almost 3 feet high. I do have a nice quiet spot ready that is on the floor of another coop so would like to take her there when I can. How long do I wait to move or is it best to move early on?

The earlier, the better. I try to move them before giving them eggs, or move them with fake eggs to make sure they will not leave and go back to the old nest.

I think moving her well after dark is best, so she can settle in overnight.

 

[microchick]

Becca51, I have a question for you. You said you stuck some extra eggs under her? Was she sitting on eggs when you gave her the 'extra' eggs, because if she was then you are risking a staggered hatch and creating the possibility that the hen will abandon any unhatched eggs in order to care for her newly hatched chicks. Best give them all the eggs at once that you want so they hatch at the same time. I have added eggs up to 24 hours after the first eggs have been put under a hen but even that can be a bit dicey.

Kristi26, if it walks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck. Same with broodies. A broody hen will fluff up and walk with her wings extended and dragging on the floor all the while making a soft clucking sound to herself. A broody will quit laying when she is truly broody. When you reach in towards her does she scream like a banshee at you with her mouth wide open or does she peck at you? Those are the true signs of a broody. If she has stayed on her nest and on eggs for three days I dare say congratulations, you have a broody!

congratulations on the new broody hens everyone. Happy hatching.