Broody NEEDS to stick it out!!!!

[TheChickenGirl16]

We are only on day 3, but I can already see a few faint blood vessels, and a small dark spot! So far so good.
She would take no less than 16 eggs, since she is HUGE, I let her have ‘em. I’ve got an incubator on the way, and if something happens, I can finish the eggs for her.

 

[Ebz5003]

Hello, all!
This is my Gold Laced Wyandotte, Goldilocks. She has gone broody, and is currently setting on 12 eggs.
View attachment 4099440
Goldy-Girl is a first time mom, and I was wondering, does anyone have any tips to help her stick it out?
I’ve had 2 broodies already this year who have incubated until day 8, and then abandoned the nest.

She is only on day three. Should I separate her?
I do have another run, but I currently have chicks in there.
If I were to separate her, would she end up feeling like she was missing out on the social interactions, thus abandoning her nest?

Any thoughts???

I have a small, 6-chicken Tractor Supply kit coop that is only for laying eggs, where my broody has her nest. The big coop is the one all the chickens use for sleeping. I have been closing the door to the big coop at night during the evening hours, which forces the broody to go back to her nest of eggs in the egg coop. I don't worry about her leaving her nest during the day( or being forced off) because so far, a couple other hens are also sitting on those eggs throughout the day. I have 1-2 more days left until hatch. I hope this will have been good enough!

 

[FunClucks]

So, I actually had another broody start on the same day as my precious Golds.
Her name is Ember. She is a very devoted mother. Here she is—
View attachment 4110127
So fluffy!
Well anyway,
She did a very good job for a long time,(except she got her eggs nasty! I think she was afraid to get up and poo because her devoted lover, Mr. Bumpy, would always come to visit her eggs and it made her very nervous.) After 3 failed attempts at moving her to her broody hut, I decided to just leave her alone. So she made it to day 15!
Then on Sunday, I let the chickens out, and I was happy to see her up. Honestly, it had been a while. Well, we left for church, and were gone all day, so I never came back to check on her. Once we came home, I found her in the box right beside her original, sitting on only one egg. Her first eggs were very cold, with no movement at all. It had been at least 10 hours.
She was definitely still broody,(screaming and everything!) So I decided that this might be my chance to move her to the hut. I made a thick layer of pine shavings, with lots of hay on top and a new clutch of eggs. Then moved her. I’m took a while for her to settle down, but she did.

I feel kind of bad, but I’m sort of doing a trap nesting method. I know she is still broody, whenever I let her out, she frantically runs around with her wings out, and her feathers ruffled, and is still very warm underneath. If I let her out of the small run, she immediately goes back to the old boxes, and sits on one or no eggs.
I am still making sure she comes off every day to eat, drink, and poop.
I think she will settle down after a bit, and I can remove the hardware cloth. She just has to get used to the new surroundings. Here she is now———
View attachment 4110143
Proud to be Momma!

If all else fails, I will just give her chicks. I think she would do well with them,(especially because if she walks out, they can just follow her!!!)

LOL!!! The hormones are strong, the brainpower, not so much... It's not uncommon for hens to sit on nothing, or a rock, or a tennis ball. Or the wrong eggs. Someone posted a picture on here of a hen incubating a measuring tape the other day. They've been bred for looks and egg production, not necessarily species survival capability, and often it shows...

 

[TheChickenGirl16]

I have a small, 6-chicken Tractor Supply kit coop that is only for laying eggs, where my broody has her nest. The big coop is the one all the chickens use for sleeping. I have been closing the door to the big coop at night during the evening hours, which forces the broody to go back to her nest of eggs in the egg coop. I don't worry about her leaving her nest during the day( or being forced off) because so far, a couple other hens are also sitting on those eggs throughout the day. I have 1-2 more days left until hatch. I hope this will have been good enough!

Best wishes!!!
Feel free to post some pics on this thread once your babies hatch! I’m so excited for you. My first batch aren’t scheduled for hatch until next Sunday/Monday.

 

[TheChickenGirl16]

LOL!!! The hormones are strong, the brainpower, not so much... It's not uncommon for hens to sit on nothing, or a rock, or a tennis ball. Or the wrong eggs. Someone posted a picture on here of a hen incubating a measuring tape the other day. They've been bred for looks and egg production, not necessarily species survival capability, and often it shows...

SO TRUE.
Unfortunately, I missed the photo you mentioned. Sounds hilarious!

 

[TheChickenGirl16]

Hey y’all,
I know that a broody will usually pick a few of her feathers in an attempt to make her nest cozy for the babies, but mine, (Ember), plucked her entire underside bare. Is this normal? All thats left is raw, pink skin!

If you’ve ever had this happen, do you have advice?

Sorry that these pics aren’t great, I can try to take a few more if anyone wants.

If anyone is wondering, she broke another egg. That is the yellow stuff matted to her feathers.
I’m starting to worry about her, she seems to be so restless, I wonder if she is breaking the eggs because she feels like they should’ve hatched by now? Technically, this is day 19 all together. (Though only day 5 on this clutch.)
I don’t think she’s bored, she finally settled down, and is no longer being forced to stay on the eggs. She might do better with live chicks….

 

[Ralph_Mueller]

Aww... She looked "Tired" ;D

 

[TheChickenGirl16]

She’s on the roost hiding in those pictures, because as soon as she got off of her eggs, Sir Bumpy decided that it had been too long…
She DID NOT like that!!!

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Hey y’all,
I know that a broody will usually pick a few of her feathers in an attempt to make her nest cozy for the babies, but mine, (Ember), plucked her entire underside bare. Is this normal? All thats left is raw, pink skin!

If you’ve ever had this happen, do you have advice?

Sorry that these pics aren’t great, I can try to take a few more if anyone wants.
View attachment 4112920
View attachment 4112922


If anyone is wondering, she broke another egg. That is the yellow stuff matted to her feathers.
I’m starting to worry about her, she seems to be so restless, I wonder if she is breaking the eggs because she feels like they should’ve hatched by now? Technically, this is day 19 all together. (Though only day 5 on this clutch.)
I don’t think she’s bored, she finally settled down, and is no longer being forced to stay on the eggs. She might do better with live chicks….

Broodies are prone to lice and mites because they don't tend to themselves like they should. Check her over really good good critters, under the wings, vent, and around her neck.

 

[LaFleche]

Hey y’all,
I know that a broody will usually pick a few of her feathers in an attempt to make her nest cozy for the babies, but mine, (Ember), plucked her entire underside bare. Is this normal? All thats left is raw, pink skin!

If you’ve ever had this happen, do you have advice?

Sorry that these pics aren’t great, I can try to take a few more if anyone wants.
View attachment 4112920
View attachment 4112922


If anyone is wondering, she broke another egg. That is the yellow stuff matted to her feathers.
I’m starting to worry about her, she seems to be so restless, I wonder if she is breaking the eggs because she feels like they should’ve hatched by now? Technically, this is day 19 all together. (Though only day 5 on this clutch.)
I don’t think she’s bored, she finally settled down, and is no longer being forced to stay on the eggs. She might do better with live chicks….

She possibly tried to clean herself from the broken egg matter ripping out the soiled and matted feathers.
When a broody gets antsy always check carefully for mites, lice etc. and change the nesting material completely after broken eggs or else it will not only start festering but attract all kinds of parasites and critters.

Broken eggs can also be the result of rodents or snakes having access to the nesting space. The broody will try to defend her clutch and in her effort can break an egg as she cannot see in the dark, only hear the rodents/snake approaching etc.