Broody questions?

[rosemarysugar]

Please answer each numbered question if you can: So, one of my hens has decided to go broody and I figured I'd see what happens if I let her be. This is my first time having a broody and have some questions. Let me tell you a little bit about my situation first.

Our hen has been trying to go broody for about a month now, and I didn't want any more chicks so I just took the eggs and she would stop, but every now and then she would find an egg in the egg box and try again ( this went on for a while.) Anyway, I decided to just let her go broody.
I let her go broody on the 25th
I have 1 roo and 7 hen what are the chances that the eggs are fertile?
1 : I put 2 eggs under her ( I want no more then 2 ) is that enough? I want the chances of getting chicks to be high.
2 : She has her own little box in the coop so she doesn't hog the egg box, is that a good spot?
3 : In her box she has food and water ( I don't know if she is using it or not ) but is there anything else she needs?
4: She is in her box and has full access to the chicken yard, does she and/or the eggs need ANY special care I just check on her two or so times a day and that's it.
5: She has been on the eggs since the 25th ( 4 days ) for better chances of getting a chick could I put another egg under her and have it be successful or would there be a problem?
6: I have read all about people keeping the broody and her eggs in a nursery away from the flock ( like I said in #2 and #3 ) she is in a box in the coop, do I need to move her and the eggs to a nursery or will she be just as well brooding, hatching, and raising her chicks in the coop with the other hens and the roo?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

1 rooster covering 7 hens should have good fertility.

1 : I put 2 eggs under her ( I want no more then 2 ) is that enough? I want the chances of getting chicks to be high.

Each hen's hatch rate is different, but if you only want 2 chicks, and really want 2 chicks, you may wish to set 3 to 4 eggs. I have had as low as 50% hatch rate and as high as 110% (uh, yeah, the hen hatched all set PLUS one she had hid in her wings...she does that regularly. LOL.)

2 : She has her own little box in the coop so she doesn't hog the egg box, is that a good spot?
As long as the other hens leave her alone and don't try to lay eggs in her box too. Some hens get pushed off easily, others merely scoop the new eggs into the mix. You get staggered hatches when that happens, so mark your set eggs. The best for a new hen and new situation is as much isolation as possible, but it depends on the flock and the hen...chill flock with assertive hen is often fine. The most vulnerable time is when they are hatching, so you might want to block that box off with netting, or something, on days 18 through 21.

3 : In her box she has food and water ( I don't know if she is using it or not ) but is there anything else she needs?
Just the ability to get up and dust and stretch and poo each day with no ability to confuse going to a different box or have her box taken by another hen. Be sure the food and water can't tip into the nest.

4: She is in her box and has full access to the chicken yard, does she and/or the eggs need ANY special care I just check on her two or so times a day and that's it.
Again, as long as she always goes back to her nest faithfully, without getting confused, that is fine. Many hens do well with that set up. You need to do very little. Just food, water, and assurance that she is left to do her duties.

5: She has been on the eggs since the 25th ( 4 days ) for better chances of getting a chick could I put another egg under her and have it be successful or would there be a problem?

NO. Don't put more eggs if you have started eggs 4 days ago. That would cause a staggered hatch. The chicks will begin to hatch in 20 to 21 days. With broody hens, I often see the first chick on day 20 with the last chick on day 21. The hen will wait about 2 days from the first chick to the last chick. After that, most hens get up to take the babes to food and water abandoning whatever eggs are left unhatched. Once in a while you get a hen so dedicated to hatching that she waits for the late eggs while neglecting the hatched chicks. It is best to set all eggs at the same time, mark them, then take any extra, later eggs laid by another hen to prevent staggered hatches.

6: I have read all about people keeping the broody and her eggs in a nursery away from the flock ( like I said in #2 and #3 ) she is in a box in the coop, do I need to move her and the eggs to a nursery or will she be just as well brooding, hatching, and raising her chicks in the coop with the other hens and the roo?

Totally depends upon the hen, the flock, and the roo. Over the 8 years or so I have hatched solely with broodies, I have had great success in the main coop, and great disaster. I have one banty mix that can't flock hatch. She loses every single chick when she is in the main flock mostly due to trampling (I think from her in panic over other hens around). If I lock her in an isolated hutch, though, she keeps every single one alive, and I can even add odd babies for her to incorporate into her hatchlings. Then I have 4 hens that co-brood in the main coop. This year the roo took all the other hens to the side coop (which was originally meant for brooding, but which the hens never seem to choose), and the main coop literally became a nursery coop for about a month.

So it really depends on how chill your flock is, how attentive your roo is, and how assertive your brooding hen is. With the first hen, you don't know what will happen. The flock also does not know about a broody in their midst. You might want a plan B. At the least, isolate the hen by blocking that nest box off at day 18 until the chicks are 2 to 3 days old (where they "have their feet under them good"). She won't need to dust and won't get off the eggs, so she can be fenced off for about 4 days as long as food and water is close by. After she hatches the chicks, you can move her anywhere you want if the flock is overly nosey or aggressive to the mother and chicks.

Good luck with your broody hen. Keep us posted.

LofMc

 

[Perris]

everything LofMc said !
I'd just add to 3 that one I had was more interested in dust bathing and stretching during her quick daily off-nest spell (and she was super quick, not off for more than 30 mins) than she was in eating, drinking or pooping, so don't overlook the importance of providing a dust bath nearby, until the last few days when she will sit tight as they hatch and probably not use it.
good luck! it's SO worth it! broodies and chicks are

 

[Shezadandy]

everything LofMc said !
I'd just add to 3 that one I had was more interested in dust bathing and stretching during her quick daily off-nest spell (and she was super quick, not off for more than 30 mins) than she was in eating, drinking or pooping, so don't overlook the importance of providing a dust bath nearby, until the last few days when she will sit tight as they hatch and probably not use it.
good luck! it's SO worth it! broodies and chicks are

I second that! Had a broody in a crate in the house because it's too busy in the coop - so our sweet little broody was carried down to her own special pen near but not in the flock while I do the chicken chores- and she spent most of her time dust bathing and rolling around- It looked like she was doing a massage/spa day. I waited for her to be done before taking her back, then she always had food/water in the crate. We've got 9 baby chicks hatched, one more pipped and the last egg will hopefully go tomorrow!

 

[Perris]

yay! chicks!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

One last note...if you do decide to move her during the brooding stage, be aware many hens do not like to move once they have started a serious brood and may continue to abandon the eggs to return to the original location.

If she appears to be doing well in this nest box in the corner, it may be best to simply leave her to let her do her thing. Otherwise, now is the time to attempt to move her so that you can reset the eggs with her in the old location if she doesn't like the new location....as long as she hasn't abandoned the original eggs for too long. If they are stone cold, then set new eggs.

If you choose to move her during the brooding stage, the best way to move is in dark of night taking the nest box and hen in one swoop (keeping eggs in pocket). Place her in the isolated location in her nest box. Then slip the eggs back under her from the tail end. Place food and water close by. Lock her in that location for a day or two to see if she settles and accepts the new location. Be aware that some hens will return to the original location if they have free access to yard and ability to return....often by confusion...which of course causes poor hatching or total loss of the original set.

Good luck.
LofMc

 

[rosemarysugar]

1 rooster covering 7 hens should have good fertility.

1 : I put 2 eggs under her ( I want no more then 2 ) is that enough? I want the chances of getting chicks to be high.

Each hen's hatch rate is different, but if you only want 2 chicks, and really want 2 chicks, you may wish to set 3 to 4 eggs. I have had as low as 50% hatch rate and as high as 110% (uh, yeah, the hen hatched all set PLUS one she had hid in her wings...she does that regularly. LOL.)

2 : She has her own little box in the coop so she doesn't hog the egg box, is that a good spot?
As long as the other hens leave her alone and don't try to lay eggs in her box too. Some hens get pushed off easily, others merely scoop the new eggs into the mix. You get staggered hatches when that happens, so mark your set eggs. The best for a new hen and new situation is as much isolation as possible, but it depends on the flock and the hen...chill flock with assertive hen is often fine. The most vulnerable time is when they are hatching, so you might want to block that box off with netting, or something, on days 18 through 21.

3 : In her box she has food and water ( I don't know if she is using it or not ) but is there anything else she needs?
Just the ability to get up and dust and stretch and poo each day with no ability to confuse going to a different box or have her box taken by another hen. Be sure the food and water can't tip into the nest.

4: She is in her box and has full access to the chicken yard, does she and/or the eggs need ANY special care I just check on her two or so times a day and that's it.
Again, as long as she always goes back to her nest faithfully, without getting confused, that is fine. Many hens do well with that set up. You need to do very little. Just food, water, and assurance that she is left to do her duties.

5: She has been on the eggs since the 25th ( 4 days ) for better chances of getting a chick could I put another egg under her and have it be successful or would there be a problem?

NO. Don't put more eggs if you have started eggs 4 days ago. That would cause a staggered hatch. The chicks will begin to hatch in 20 to 21 days. With broody hens, I often see the first chick on day 20 with the last chick on day 21. The hen will wait about 2 days from the first chick to the last chick. After that, most hens get up to take the babes to food and water abandoning whatever eggs are left unhatched. Once in a while you get a hen so dedicated to hatching that she waits for the late eggs while neglecting the hatched chicks. It is best to set all eggs at the same time, mark them, then take any extra, later eggs laid by another hen to prevent staggered hatches.

6: I have read all about people keeping the broody and her eggs in a nursery away from the flock ( like I said in #2 and #3 ) she is in a box in the coop, do I need to move her and the eggs to a nursery or will she be just as well brooding, hatching, and raising her chicks in the coop with the other hens and the roo?

Totally depends upon the hen, the flock, and the roo. Over the 8 years or so I have hatched solely with broodies, I have had great success in the main coop, and great disaster. I have one banty mix that can't flock hatch. She loses every single chick when she is in the main flock mostly due to trampling (I think from her in panic over other hens around). If I lock her in an isolated hutch, though, she keeps every single one alive, and I can even add odd babies for her to incorporate into her hatchlings. Then I have 4 hens that co-brood in the main coop. This year the roo took all the other hens to the side coop (which was originally meant for brooding, but which the hens never seem to choose), and the main coop literally became a nursery coop for about a month.

So it really depends on how chill your flock is, how attentive your roo is, and how assertive your brooding hen is. With the first hen, you don't know what will happen. The flock also does not know about a broody in their midst. You might want a plan B. At the least, isolate the hen by blocking that nest box off at day 18 until the chicks are 2 to 3 days old (where they "have their feet under them good"). She won't need to dust and won't get off the eggs, so she can be fenced off for about 4 days as long as food and water is close by. After she hatches the chicks, you can move her anywhere you want if the flock is overly nosey or aggressive to the mother and chicks.

Good luck with your broody hen. Keep us posted.

LofMc

Thank you so much!