Broody Hen Thread!

[Marans-copper-and-cuckoo]

macaroon is broody again!!!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

It's offical, I have an excellent pawn gen. She ropes other hens Into raising chicks with her and the leaves like a week later to be a single lady while the other hens continue to raise her chicks....

 

[Perris]

macaroon is broody again!!!

I forgot: did you let her hatch before?

 

[Marans-copper-and-cuckoo]

yes on page 1503

 

[Perris]

so how did the 6 get on? did any more hatch? when did Macaroon drive them off? and what is she sitting on this time? Not 20 again surely!

 

[bhawk-23]

Hello! So glad I found this thread! We have a broody hen (48 hrs now) and ordered some fertile eggs. Seller didn't ship first thing this morning like we discussed and now the delivery is delayed until Monday. Will we be too late for putting the eggs under her? Today we got her out of the nesting box, much to her dismay, twice to make her eat, drink and stretch. She does all that and is back in within 15 minutes. Is this a good routine to keep up? We are so excited, so nervous and thinking we are crazy!!! lol Thank you!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Hello! So glad I found this thread! We have a broody hen (48 hrs now) and ordered some fertile eggs. Seller didn't ship first thing this morning like we discussed and now the delivery is delayed until Monday. Will we be too late for putting the eggs under her? Today we got her out of the nesting box, much to her dismay, twice to make her eat, drink and stretch. She does all that and is back in within 15 minutes. Is this a good routine to keep up? We are so excited, so nervous and thinking we are crazy!!! lol Thank you!

You'll be fine. Just let her keep sitting on duds until they arrive

 

[Perris]

Is this a good routine to keep up?

I'd only do it once a day; my broodies very rarely leave the nest more than once a day, and time out varies between 10 mins and an afternoon, depending on the broody's experience and stage of incubation. Make sure she has a dust bath handy, but well outside the nesting area; sitting hens are very vulnerable to parasites and I've had one spend a lot more time bathing and preening than eating or drinking. If I had to sit still for 23 hrs a day I suspect I would too!

 

[lu bantam chickens]

My broody girls eggs have not hatch and been far too long for them too but one of the girls is now kinder moulting long feathers coming out as well as smaller ones - they are just over a year old bantams and the weather is colder now as soon will be winter

So is it bad to break the broody if she is trying to moult as she would want somewhere comfy to sit?

 

[Perris]

My broody girls eggs have not hatch and been far too long for them too but one of the girls is now kinder moulting long feathers coming out as well as smaller ones - they are just over a year old bantams and the weather is colder now as soon will be winter

So is it bad to break the broody if she is trying to moult as she would want somewhere comfy to sit?

how long has she been broody? what does "been far too long for them too" refer to?