Broody Hen Thread!

[msbreez]

Quote:
Like another on this board, I had a changing of the guard. The hamburg is still broody, but is sitting on another group of eggs along with the white cochin I have. These eggs are hatching right now under a Crevecoeur! So far we have 2 hatched and 3 working on it. I don't know about the other 4 eggs yet. So much fun!

 

[campochicks]

My chicks are 2 weeks old and their mama is doing a great job taking care of them. She's been taking them outside regularly and even stands up to my dog when she gets too close. How long do hens usually take care of the chicks? How young is too young for them to be on their own if she lets them go early?

 

[chena16c]

So this is my first time a broody hen. I put fertilized eggs under her and they started hatching today, only problem is my other cuckoo maran decided to go broody. they're both trying to sit on the nest, I found one pipped and crushed egg and had to help a second chick out of it's fully zipped but crushed shell. The broody hen who's been sitting on the nest looked at the chick all bewildered and started pecking at it! Now I'm worried about letting her hatch the other eggs for fear of the same thing happening. I'm also leave tomorrow night to stay at my parents because I'm getting my tonsils out. A neighbor will be coming over to watch them but they aren't chicken savvy. Is it normal for the mother to peck at a very newborn chick?!

 

[chena16c]

oh, also....I'm can't right out remember the breed this one is, as there is a mix. It's a light/tan egg, The chick is black with slight yellow feathers (still drying) but it already has a ridged comb, any ideas on what kind of chick it is?! Black sex-linked maybe? I've never seen them born with a comb before. I will take pictures in a bit when it's dry.

 

[goldeneggtees]

ooo, ooo, ooo! A broody hen thread! I have 4 currently, 2 in one nest box and the other 2 in their own. They are currently sitting on wooden eggs, as we've no rooster. I can't break them and I won't order chicks or fertile eggs so there they sit. Queens of doing nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!!!

 

[CranberryCreekFarm]

Sold all 7 1.5 week old chicks from my broody last night. I gave her the 2 bantam chicks hatched a few days ago that I plan on keeping to at least see how they grow out. They will be EE's. She seems to have accepted them and scooted them underneath her...keeping my fingers crossed!

Bantam hen is still setting on the eggs I gave her that are due the 24th. All standard chicks, dont know if I will keep them or not.

 

[stilldeb]

I had one broody Silky that sat for three weeks on the thermometer box in the coop and when it didn't hatch, she finally quit and now I have a broody black Cochin frizzle that chases everybody else out of the coop (grouch!) and steals their eggs. My silver Sebright tried going broody for about three days, but decided it was boring and they are too 'wired' to sit still that long, so she gave it up.

deb g
KY

 

[mudchicken]

we went on vacation last week. I made a big feeder out of a 5 gallon bucket and filled both water containers and had my mom peek in a few times on them. i told her not to worry bout the eggs, take some if she wanted to. monday (yesterday) i threw out the old eggs, and found one of my nhr hens laying on a nest. i left that nest alone and threw out the rest. this mourning she was facing butt out, so i was hesitant to weather or not she was actually broody. i checked on her now, and she is laying right down, and as i gathered the eggs from today she made a high pitch growling noise. what ya all think, she broody???????

 

[jdopler]

I have 2 broody silkies, one sitting on 2 eggs and the other.. well she may be sitting on absolutely nothing!
But she never moves, I'm wondering if I should give her some other eggs to brood over. But last time she got bored after 2 weeks.

funny thing was she had eggs then too and just sat, even if the eggs were not there. I would regularly find them 5 inches away from her!
Silly lil girl!

hope this time is better!

 

[CranberryCreekFarm]

Scratch that! I moved her nesting box today while cleaning the barn and she abandoned the eggs for 3 hours....Needless to say they are in my incubator now with the duck eggs...