Choosing a Broody?

[3KillerBs]

My first attempt at letting a broody hatch didn't work -- she didn't graft to the nest when I moved her (in fact, it was the easiest broody breaking I've ever done).

Now I have 2 broodies who have been occupying boxes quite tightly for almost a week. Both 9-month pullets.

Mocha, the Mottled Java, is on her second broody cycle. She defends her nest with great determination -- biting viciously when I try to get eggs.

Black-Yellow (known by her band colors for lack of a name), one of the Blue Australorps, is very dramatic with all the puffing and fluffing, but doesn't bite.

Mocha has been sitting tightly on her golf balls and usually just one or two eggs she manages to get.

Black-Yellow has been a more determined egg collector with up to 6 on a given day.

I think I'd find Black-Yellow easier to manage, but I suspect that Mocha would defend her chicks with the same vigor she defends her eggs.

Any thoughts on how to choose?

Should I move one of them to the maternity ward but leave the other in the boxes in case the first breaks from the move?

 

[DobieLover]

What does the maternity ward look like?

I'm very partial to my Australorp. She's like yours and is rock steady and an EXCELLENT mother.
I had a nutty biter and I broke her. I had another that went a bit too far and tried to flog my face when I reached in to grab the baby bottle. THAT'S not happening.

I personally think that the ones that aren't nutso about defending the nest from YOU are thinkers and make better mothers and will be easier for you to manage during the incubation. That's my 2 or 3 or 4 cents. I kinda lost track on how many cents I put in...

 

[3KillerBs]

Both girls have been sitting tightly for a week so I've got the maternity ward set up and will put Black Yellow into it. The idea that I'd like to be able to handle my broody without bleeding is good and she seems to sit more tightly -- getting back into the same box after a break instead of switching boxes.

But I'll hold off on breaking Mocha until I'm sure Black-Yellow (who deserves a name if she's a good broody), is good on her eggs.

 

[DobieLover]

I've had to replace the plastic mesh with wire, but this is what it looks like.

Just a little shy of 2'x4' -- so room for one broody with her feeder and waterer and enough room to get off the nest and poop.

I'm probably going to put a little scrap wood on the sides of the nest end to make it feel more enclosed before I set it up.

You can also just drape an old bath towel or two over one end and tuck the nest in there. I find that really makes my ward more inviting. In fact, I draped the towel last night and someone went in and collected the three ceramic eggs that had gotten scattered all over in there, tucked them into the corner and made a little nest and laid her egg in there with them.
Once the broody grafts the towel can be entirely or partially moved to improve air flow.

 

[3KillerBs]

Good luck!!!

I don't know if she's fully-broken or if I'll find her back in the box, but after 2 full days of frantic pacing and pecking at the wire I figured I may as well try one of the others.

Mocha has been a determined sitter so she deserves the next chance. And if she doesn't work out, Teriyaki just started sitting on Friday.

 

[SpicyDisaster]

We've had two different broodies hatch/adopt. Both were vocal and puffy about egg inspection yet never really bit anytime. They'd peck on the hand like "excuse me no thank you kindly bugger off". Both have been fierce protective mommas with the other hens yet begrudgingly accepting of the humans interacting with the chicks.

First one was 8 months old and we never moved her until after hatch. Second one was 14 months and I moved her at 4 weeks sitting (she refused to break despite all efforts so I broke down and got her chicks) and she sat for another week until chicks arrived.

I set up a mini dog house in the grow out pen that's within the run. Attempting to move her during the day resulted in her pacing and trying to get out so I let her go back to the nest and moved her again that night in the twilight hours. She stayed put after that.

Not the best photo of the setup, this was right after installing the little dog house and I don't seem to have another photo on my phone. All the girls checked it out and three laid eggs in it so I figure it was suitable and passed inspection

The one piece of advice I've really stuck with is to only let top hens brood and raise. Chicks are treated as an extension of the mother's place in the pecking order until they are older so it affords them some natural protection. First broody was top hen and she didn't let anyone mess with her or her chick. This latest was about 4th rung and she scares away everyone except the top 3. She tried to yesterday but got reminded gently of her place. So I feel pretty good about not letting lower momma's brood if they will be integrated young. Poor Silver is our most frequent broody and she's the lowest on the order. She gets bullied out of her nest though, I'd be afraid of what happens with chicks.

Good luck with your broodies!

 

[3KillerBs]

I would attempt to move both, and see how they go. If both do good, I'd go with Mocha, and leave Black-Yellow broody for an emergency backup.

What does the maternity ward look like?

I've had to replace the plastic mesh with wire, but this is what it looks like.

Just a little shy of 2'x4' -- so room for one broody with her feeder and waterer and enough room to get off the nest and poop.

I'm probably going to put a little scrap wood on the sides of the nest end to make it feel more enclosed before I set it up.

 

[junior67]

My first attempt at letting a broody hatch didn't work -- she didn't graft to the nest when I moved her (in fact, it was the easiest broody breaking I've ever done).

Now I have 2 broodies who have been occupying boxes quite tightly for almost a week. Both 9-month pullets.

Mocha, the Mottled Java, is on her second broody cycle. She defends her nest with great determination -- biting viciously when I try to get eggs.

Black-Yellow (known by her band colors for lack of a name), one of the Blue Australorps, is very dramatic with all the puffing and fluffing, but doesn't bite.

Mocha has been sitting tightly on her golf balls and usually just one or two eggs she manages to get.

Black-Yellow has been a more determined egg collector with up to 6 on a given day.

I think I'd find Black-Yellow easier to manage, but I suspect that Mocha would defend her chicks with the same vigor she defends her eggs.

Any thoughts on how to choose?

Should I move one of them to the maternity ward but leave the other in the boxes in case the first breaks from the move?

I have had 3 broody's over the last 6 weeks.

Ditzy was my first. she hatched 1 egg and 1 hatched in the incubator the same day. She would puff up when I pet her but let me pet her and get any eggs that may have been laid while she was out of the nest or if someone went in with her (think only once or twice this happened the 4-5 weeks she was broody). She defended the chicks more by calling them away and maybe chasing another hen but not really a ton. but enough that the chicks thrived and are now part of the flock at 6 week old (were from very early on but they are 6 weeks old now).


Fajita was next. She would puff up quite a bit and let me pet her and check under her as well. She hatched 1 baby on Friday. She will defend that baby quite a bit by chasing others off. She never went to bite me or anything and let others come in her box. she would bit the older chicks if they went to climb in her box at night but let the other hens climb in to lay the couple times they tried.


Then Nugget who would puff up big time, growl etc. I thought she was going to bite me but she never did. She let the older chicks (they are 10 weeks old now) climb in her box and sleep with her at night. I had to resort to going out and taking them out and putting them on the roost for about a week. She allowed the other hens to sit in her box to lay (again only happened a couple times) she allowed me to check for eggs under her (some laid while she was out). None of her eggs developed so I gave her chicks. OMG NO chicken/chick best go near her chicks!! She will chase, jump, bite etc. if the others chickens get near her chicks. The other day she was outside with hers and Fajita is still at the hang in the coop with hers faze so she was in there. Well Fajita went into a different nest box that the shavings in front of it are lower (I had boosted them up in front of her box) and the baby couldn't jump in it (I saw on my camera) so was peeping and Fajita was calling it and got out and back in once. Then Nugget came FLYING in the door from outside and attacked Fajita because the baby was peeping loudly! So she even attacked Fajita for Fajita's baby crying out!!!! Nugget is fine with me touching her babies though. I mean she will call them away but has never attacked or bitten me or my husband.

that probably doesn't help you but some experience on how my broody's were on eggs and with chicks

 

[junior67]

I don't know if she's fully-broken or if I'll find her back in the box, but after 2 full days of frantic pacing and pecking at the wire I figured I may as well try one of the others.

Mocha has been a determined sitter so she deserves the next chance. And if she doesn't work out, Teriyaki just started sitting on Friday.

you will have to let me know if she is fully broken...... I have a brooder in my coop (well it is down now but easy to set up again) and have thought of using it try to break my broody's or at least maybe give them a spot they will get up and eat more often at least. But would be nice to find out if it works to break them. If yours goes back to sitting I will have to go with plan 2 next time I have a broody. haahaa.

 

[3KillerBs]

Well, the moment I opened the maternity ward to give Mocha water this morning she jumped out.

Looks like my maternity ward is the world's best broody breaker.

I'll see if she's in the nestbox again when I get home from work.

I have one more broody to try. She's only just started to sit so maybe she'll be more amenable to being moved.