Broody hen to hatch eggs

[Mtnboomer]

Hello everyone! We now have a flock of 15 healthy birds including 5 roosters (1 mature and 4 5mo olds). See the problem here. So the 5mo olds are working the hens over hard and we will be having chicken dinners very shortly.

So, the reason for my post is that we have a broody hen that has accumulated at least 3 eggs in the past 48 hrs. Usually, we just try to get her out of the box and harvest the eggs, but with the population decrease pending, I thought why not let her do the work and hatch a few eggs for us.
Since we have never allowed a hen to do this, are there any tips, warnings, must do's or don'ts of which we need to be aware?

 

[Chicken-lovebirdchihuahua]

I would look around for some more articles on here. But feed both the chicks and her chick food. Obviously unless it’s way below freezing you won’t need any heat lamp. Really the most important thing is that she and her chicks have access to clean food and water at all times. I like to put food and water inside the coop so they don’t have to go too far. I hope this helped!

 

[NorthernMIFlock]

We just had a broody in June, first time for her and us! We asked around with our experienced farmer friends and they were all in agreement, hands off with the broody and the eggs. We didn’t move our hen, as it was a best box that just a couple hens used. She was very determined and even as I let her flock mates out daily to free range, she sat tight and barely ever left the eggs. One time I looked out and saw her in the run taking a quick dust bath so I did go in and peek at the eggs to make sure she didn’t have more in there. My son hand fed her sometimes when he was in the coop, but mostly she just growled at him. 21 days later we heard tiny cheeps so we did move her to an area on the floor and put chick food and water. She was up and out of the nest with the babies after 2 days so I discarded the 2 eggs that never hatched. They are 5 weeks now, and I have to say I would prefer this route then to brood them myself any day, so much easier, and fun to watch too! Good luck with your hatch!

 

[Perris]

are there any tips, warnings, must do's or don'ts of which we need to be aware?

there are many threads you could read, e.g. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...hatch-a-long-and-informational-thread.457488/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/broody-hen-thread.496101/
enjoy!

 

[sylviethecochin]

Where's your hen setting? If it's in the coop and in one of a row of nest-boxes, she might get confused as to which one is hers. In many cases, other hens will try and lay in her box, which can prove a danger to the eggs as two hens fight over a box. If you can convince her to set elsewhere, I would. If she's already setting in a private place, good.

Select the eggs on which you want your girl to set. They should be large, not porous or thin-shelled, and less than two weeks old. Mark them (Pencil will rub off. A pen works better) and check daily to remove any eggs laid by other hens.

Hay and straw interlock really well so that a bowl-shaped nest can be formed. That's easier on the hen, because she can use the sides to support her weight (hens don't sit on the eggs, they squat above them) It also allows her to cover more eggs, or cover the few she has better. Shavings tend to fall apart, and eggs sometimes get lost in the sides of those nests.

I like to candle all at day seven (okay, that's a lie, I candle all the time, starting from day three) to make sure that the eggs are developing properly and discard any that aren't alive. Don't candle on day two; the veins are in a delicate state right then.

 

[Mtnboomer]

Thanks! Yeah its in the mid 80-s to low 90's here so no heat lamp worries. I keep food and water in the coop already so its no more than a few feet away. Should the hen have chick feed before hatching or just after? We have raised chicks this spring on it, but didn't know the hen would need it. Or is it just so the little guys don't have the pellets?

 

[Mtnboomer]

Our hen went broody last year about this time without eggs under her. She dropped 50% in body weight despite having access to food and water 24/7. I got concerned so had to use an air compressor (very low psi of course) to blow under her and znnoy her until she left the box. She drew blood when trying to get her out by hand. I blocked off that box for about a week and she came around and put the weight back on. Fingers crossed, this time she keeps in better shape

 

[Mtnboomer]

Where's your hen setting? If it's in the coop and in one of a row of nest-boxes, she might get confused as to which one is hers. In many cases, other hens will try and lay in her box, which can prove a danger to the eggs as two hens fight over a box. If you can convince her to set elsewhere, I would. If she's already setting in a private place, good.

Select the eggs on which you want your girl to set. They should be large, not porous or thin-shelled, and less than two weeks old. Mark them (Pencil will rub off. A pen works better) and check daily to remove any eggs laid by other hens.

Hay and straw interlock really well so that a bowl-shaped nest can be formed. That's easier on the hen, because she can use the sides to support her weight (hens don't sit on the eggs, they squat above them) It also allows her to cover more eggs, or cover the few she has better. Shavings tend to fall apart, and eggs sometimes get lost in the sides of those nests.

I like to candle all at day seven (okay, that's a lie, I candle all the time, starting from day three) to make sure that the eggs are developing properly and discard any that aren't alive. Don't candle on day two; the veins are in a delicate state right then.

Wow! Tons of info here! Thanks!