Broody hen

[Phwaah]

Hi. I have 4 hens atm 3 leghorn and an australorp. The australorp has gone broody for 2 days and I've decided prehaps i can try hatch some eggs. Is it possible to just slide some fertile eggs under her and have her incubate them? Also if I do have baby chicks do I need to update my backyard and/or feed/water?

My setup atm is free range in my backyard but they sleep in the coop. The australorp is brooding in the bushes away from the coop. Food and water is in the coop too but I have water dishes outside too.

Thanks!
Also its early autumn in Melbourne if that's a factor.

 

[Cassandra Lana]

she needs her own blocked off section in the coop. Do you get snow? Cause if it gets that cold I would try putting her in the garage or basement instead (in the brooder.)

 

[Aapomp831]

I agree with the above poster; also no need to worry about food. Just provide chick starter for the mom while she sits; she won’t need layer feed since she won’t be laying for a few months. The extra protein in the chick food will do her very well, and will be there and ready for the chicks when they hatch. All you have to do is provide a safe area where the other chickens can’t get to her, food and water and mama hen will do everything else.

 

[Phwaah]

I agree with the above poster; also no need to worry about food. Just provide chick starter for the mom while she sits; she won’t need layer feed since she won’t be laying for a few months. The extra protein in the chick food will do her very well, and will be there and ready for the chicks when they hatch. All you have to do is provide a safe area where the other chickens can’t get to her, food and water and mama hen will do everything else.

Her nesting area is in my garden bed so I might just fence off that garden bed and leave some chick fed and water for her. Time to find some fertile eggs!

 

[DobieLover]

Her nesting area is in my garden bed so I might just fence off that garden bed and leave some chick fed and water for her. Time to find some fertile eggs!

Do you have enough room in your coop for her and the chicks? Fencing her off away from the flock will lead to re-introduction issues and she will be prone to predation out there.

Once the chicks hatch, she will want to bring them out into the flock. The entire flock should be switched over to a chick starter with oyster shell on the side for the active layers.

When the chicks are old enough, she will want to bring them to the roost. Do you have enough room in your coop for that?

 

[Phwaah]

Do you have enough room in your coop for her and the chicks? Fencing her off away from the flock will lead to re-introduction issues and she will be prone to predation out there.

Once the chicks hatch, she will want to bring them out into the flock. The entire flock should be switched over to a chick starter with oyster shell on the side for the active layers.

When the chicks are old enough, she will want to bring them to the roost. Do you have enough room in your coop for that?

I should have enough room for a few chicks and mother hen. The hens all spend all day outside and only sleep in the coop at night time. My question is, how will egg production be with them on chick starter? I would expect smaller eggs I'd assume.

I won't have enough room in the coop to sleep in for more than 6 full size chickens so it's likely I'll sell or gift the babies away.

 

[Aapomp831]

I should have enough room for a few chicks and mother hen. The hens all spend all day outside and only sleep in the coop at night time. My question is, how will egg production be with them on chick starter? I would expect smaller eggs I'd assume.

I won't have enough room in the coop to sleep in for more than 6 full size chickens so it's likely I'll sell or gift the babies away.

You can keep them all on chick starter forever as long as you provide free choice oyster shell on the side. Your layers will know when they need it and eat it accordingly. I have a flock of 25 chickens and nobody is on layer feed - and their eggs are huge and hard shelled.

 

[Mark Whatley]

I have a BO (9 months old) I suspect may be going broody. I don't have a rooster and am not looking to raise chicks. From what I'm reading here and elsewhere it's not really desirable to have a broody hen if she's not sitting on fertilized eggs. I'm a little confused about whether to try to "break" her broodiness (I've read some suggestions), or just let her have her way and let nature take her course. It also sounds like she won't be laying during her broodiness, right? What say y'all?