Broody Hen Thread!

[FarmerBoy24]

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How often and how long?

They *DO* need to get up to eat and drink (and preferably poop somewhere NOT on the eggs) at least daily. So long as she gets back on the correct nest, then she should know what she's doing.

About 1 every 2 days that I see her. thats what i'm wanting to know how long can she be without her eggs?

 

[schellie69]

I have my 1st broody of the season a barnyard mix I got last summer.. Last year I moved my broody to another coop, this year that coop has chicks in it, Can I leave my broody in the coop with the flock if I have her in a nest they don't use. I marked 5 eggs today that were laid by the flock today and do I count today and day 1 of 21 or not. I am so new to this. I am super excited to have a broody.

 

[FarmerBoy24]

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I have the same Problom lol. But my hen is fine. She sits on the nest and gets up everyonce in a while and gets some food and water and sits down. HOWEVER when they begin to hatch I'm going to move her and the hatching peeps somewhere else. I don't know where yet.

 

[andalusn]

I have a Cuckoo Maran that hides her egg stash somewhere in the hay and when hatched brings them out to raise with the flock. Until that time she is seldom seen but she will meet me early in the mornings at the feeding area for scratch grains & corn her favorite. Eat some layer crumbles. Poop a huge poop and then heads back to her hiding place. I have tried stalking her to find the nest but have never been quick enough. She usually stays out about 15 - 20 min and then heads back. It must work because in Nov she presented me with 16 peeps. Now my hen named Mudd is still on an empty nest today. I think I will be setting her up in a cage tomorrow and try to break her since her 3 week vacation did not go well.

 

[FarmerBoy24]

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Thanks

One of my hens went missing for 21 days! Until she came out from under the barn with her chicks

I was so amazed that no cat/dog/rat/snake or anything got her!

 

[doramechicks]

We had two babies this morning when we got up can see another zipping! Momma isn't wanting me to mess with her too much so I will check in later today and see how many we have! I see why people love doing this, it is so exciting and my girls (ages 6 & 8) thought it was the best thing ever!

 

[rarely bored]

Thanks for the moving the broody hen link, very informative! My broody BO hen is 10 days in, dominating a public nest box and needing to be moved. Hopefully she will accept the move easily. This is my first time with a broody hen.

 

[FarmerBoy24]

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My BO is due Sat!

 

[rarely bored]

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Hope the hatch is very succesful! Post pictures.

 

[ThaJuicyJuice]

When all fit hits the shan and the power grid goes down, I will get one of these incubators called broody hens. Until then, I am stuck with the expensive plastic kind. You all are lucky.