Broody hen

[sassychickens76]

I do want to hatch chicks. I want to put about 6 eggs under her. I know some will be duds. Does anyone have experience with Cochin Bantam chicks and finding out if they are pullet other than picking the smallest one. I have a friend that will take all my chicks. I want to keep one to watch it grow up. Will the chicks mother have separation anxiety or something if almost all their chicks are taken away? Also should I definitely keep two so they have each other? Sorry that I have so many questions. I'm new to all this.

 

[bobbi-j]

I do want to hatch chicks. I want to put about 6 eggs under her. I know some will be duds. Does anyone have experience with Cochin Bantam chicks and finding out if they are pullet other than picking the smallest one. I have a friend that will take all my chicks. I want to keep one to watch it grow up. Will the chicks mother have separation anxiety or something if almost all their chicks are taken away? Also should I definitely keep two so they have each other? Sorry that I have so many questions. I'm new to all this.

I would keep at least a couple of them. Would it be an option to keep them long enough to be able to sex them so you know which ones are pullets? By that time, mama may be ready to wean them anyway. She may seem stressed for a short time if you take some of the chicks, but she’ll get over it.

 

[sassychickens76]

I would keep at least a couple of them. Would it be an option to keep them long enough to be able to sex them so you know which ones are pullets? By that time, mama may be ready to wean them anyway. She may seem stressed for a short time if you take some of the chicks, but she’ll get over it.

I'm not sure. I plan to try. It would just be a bit rude to be like, "Here, you can have these chicks." and all of them are cockerels. I'll ask though.

 

[DobieLover]

Can you please post pictures of your setup? It seems as if you may be lacking in space. Broodies need space to work with. And what will you do with the males chicks? Do you have room enough in your setup for the new pullets?

 

[sassychickens76]

She has been sitting. When we tried to move her tonight to see how many eggs she was on and remove a few golf balls she kept pecking us and would not budge. I know she is sitting on at least 2 real eggs and 5 golf balls. Do you know the best way to go about getting the golf balls out and seeing how many eggs she has. I will try to post pictures of the setup. Pretty much the ramp goes in at one corner of our top part on our coop. They have decent space. On the left wall I have two nesting boxes. For the chicks, I will keep the two smallest chicks (hopefully hens) and give the rest to a friend, probably at a few days old. I believe I have enough room.

 

[sassychickens76]

@aart @casportpony
Any suggestions?

 

[bobbi-j]

Do you know the best way to go about getting the golf balls out and seeing how many eggs she has.

I would just pick her up and quickly look. Do you have all the eggs collected that you want her to hatch? I would discard the two she’s sitting on and put all the eggs you want her to hatch under her all at once. Otherwise you have a staggered hatch. Sometimes when that happens, the hen will leave the nest with the earlier hatched chicks because she thinks the others won’t hatch. Sometimes shel’ll continue sitting instead of taking the earlier ones off the nest to teach them to eat and drink.

 

[sassychickens76]

I would just pick her up and quickly look. Do you have all the eggs collected that you want her to hatch? I would discard the two she’s sitting on and put all the eggs you want her to hatch under her all at once. Otherwise you have a staggered hatch. Sometimes when that happens, the hen will leave the nest with the earlier hatched chicks because she thinks the others won’t hatch. Sometimes shel’ll continue sitting instead of taking the earlier ones off the nest to teach them to eat and drink.

We tried to pick her up with a towel. She bites HARD! I added two more eggs under her today so the eggs I want her to hatch were put under her (or she layed them) in two days. So, should it matter that much? At the moment she has 5 golf balls and at least 4 eggs under her. I need to remove a few golf balls but none of us had the guts to remove them. Anyway to entice her off?

 

[DobieLover]

So, should it matter that much?

Yes. You do NOT want a staggered hatch with a broody hen. She will abandon the eggs that don't hatch within about 24 hours of the first chick hatching. I would immediately remove them.
As for the biting, wear leather gloves and long sleeve heavy shirt or jacket.

 

[aart]

We tried to pick her up with a towel. She bites HARD! I added two more eggs under her today so the eggs I want her to hatch were put under her (or she layed them) in two days. So, should it matter that much? At the moment she has 5 golf balls and at least 4 eggs under her. I need to remove a few golf balls but none of us had the guts to remove them. Anyway to entice her off?

Put on gloves and thick long sleeves, grab her with both hands around her body holding the wings in place and pull her out. Be calm, talk softly, don't panic.
If she is where other birds can lay in her nest, you'll have to do this daily to remove freshly laid eggs.

If you don't have space for more birds, best to break her instead of letting her hatch.