Broody- How about incubating some eggs?

[Acre4Me]

my 12 yo child wants to have our broody incubate some eggs.

Our broody is 43 weeks old, and in Sept very successfully raised 7 chicks we placed under her. Those chicks were 5 days old when we brought them home, but she took to the task well.

This pullet is broody again and has been so for a week now. We have moved her to a large brooder in our barn, with a nest, water and food. Mostly want to see if she is still broody after moving her. She has been in this brooder before when she raised the chicks. She seemed settled on her nest, fluffed up, when we checked on her last night. She is currently sitting on some fake eggs. This brooder is away from the flock, for the most part, but we have a sectioned off area of the run she can access and see the flock, if she chooses to leave the brooder area.

Of course, the coldest part of winter is coming up. We would set only 4-5 eggs under her, assuming at least 2-3 would hatch, but if all 5 hatched, she could keep them adequately warmed. The brooder is big enough for them to stay in if needed, but has access to the run area.

Cockerels: we can cull one way or the other (give away, sell at livestock auction nearby, or butcher). So, we have a plan.

So, what are your thoughts on having the pullet set on some eggs, etc? Odds of success in your experience? Thx.

 

[sourland]

I have had hens successfully raise winter chicks and others that have created a disaster. A lot depends upon the nature of the hen, and sounds as if you have a good one. I'd give it a try, but that's just me.

 

[Acre4Me]

I have had hens successfully raise winter chicks and others that have created a disaster. A lot depends upon the nature of the hen, and sounds as if you have a good one. I'd give it a try, but that's just me.

Thx. This is our thoughts as well - might as well give it a go. We figure the eggs might not hatch bc she gives up, but when we finally gave her some chicks in Sept, she had been sitting for 3 weeks, or thereabouts.

 

[bobbi-j]

How cold does the "coldest part of winter" get where you are?

 

[Acre4Me]

How cold does the "coldest part of winter" get where you are?

Not unusual for -10F, typically a nighttime temp. The winter of '13-14, it was horribly cold for long stretches, -18F at night, 4F as high during day for a week or more, but that is not typical. The brooder is inside a barn, the brooder is all solid sides with a HWC top. The run is behind the barn and is the most protected from the winter winds that usually come from the west.

 

[Acre4Me]

I have had hens successfully raise winter chicks and others that have created a disaster. A lot depends upon the nature of the hen, and sounds as if you have a good one. I'd give it a try, but that's just me.

So today, we opened the pop door from the brooder into the smaller section of run. This is where broody hen can come out and see her flock mates, but not intermingle. Of course, she has not been intermingling with them since she's been broody. Since she is in a new location (the brooder - a place she's been before), she seems a bit stressed, and is now not on her nest, but outside pacing the fence line. So, maybe this will break her of her broodiness or she will settle in.

So, should I keep her in the brooder (and not open pop-door)? It is 6'x3'x2'tall. It is below a window, so gets lots of natural light, with plenty of space. The downside is that she will be away from her flock mates. When she last brooded the chicks, she was in this same set-up. After the first couple of days, we let them out to explore the separate outdoor run space (same as she now has the use of), so they were in view of the rest of the flock, and next to the rest of the flock, but didn't intermingle. In fact, when we opened the fence, broody hen was rather stressed keeping all the other flock mates away from her chicks, so we kept them separate until her hormones were waning and she was a bit more relaxed. She mothered her chicks for a full 6 weeks.

 

[aart]

Hmmm...tough call.
You might hope the move breaks her broody.
I'd leave her in there for a day or two to make sure one way or another.

I let a broody hatch in frigid weather, wouldn't do it again.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/pullet-acting-super-strange.1285032/page-2#post-20781190

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/broody-in-michigan-winter.947046/

 

[Acre4Me]

Hmmm...tough call.
You might hope the move breaks her broody.
I'd leave her in there for a day or two to make sure one way or another.

I let a broody hatch in frigid weather, wouldn't do it again.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/pullet-acting-super-strange.1285032/page-2#post-20781190

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/broody-in-michigan-winter.947046/

The move appears to possibly be breaking her. Yesterday she spent most of the day in her section of the run, and not on nest, but still making broody clucks and puffing up. Spent the night on the nest, puffed up. Once door to her section of run was opened, she went outside and tween reported that the sounds she was making were more normal and less broody. So, we will keep her separate today to see what happens, will reunite her with the flock tonight or tomorrow if she stays outside most of the day.

 

[aart]

That clucking ....is key....once you know it, you can hear it a mile(figuratively) away.

 

[Ridgerunner]

If you really want her to be broody I'd lock her in that brooder area and block the window so it is pretty dark. I think it being dark helps them settle. I'd keep her away from her old nest (unless you are willing for her to incubate and hatch there) until all signs of being broody are gone. Either break her or don't.