Choosing a Broody?

[Lacy Duckwing]

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...

Good point.

 

[3KillerBs]

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.

I have a broody breaker that is a dog crate up on a pallet for good airflow. It works very well.

First one was 8 months old and we never moved her until after hatch.

I can't let them sit in the main nests. There's no keeping 20 other hens out of them and they keep ending up in a different box after they take a break.

Also, my nests are 3 feet off the ground because I installed them with my bad back in mind. No stooping for eggs.

 

[junior67]

I have a broody breaker that is a dog crate up on a pallet for good airflow. It works very well.



I can't let them sit in the main nests. There's no keeping 20 other hens out of them and they keep ending up in a different box after they take a break.

Also, my nests are 3 feet off the ground because I installed them with my bad back in mind. No stooping for eggs.

if I have to I will buy another dog crate but right now my dog is using my huge one that I used to brood my chicks in last year (got the puppy after they were done with it. LOL) and my smaller one that my dog used when we first got him I let my mom use so I don't have an extra one to use as a broody breaker and hate to buy another one if I don't need to. so was hoping I could find something else that worked that I didnt have to buy one.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Personally I always like having more than 1 brooding, preferably at the sane start date. That way if one is broken, I can usually shove the eggs under the other.

I personally don't move them until babies start pipping, and then move them back to the flock after the babies are about 2-3 weeks


The quiet ones seem to set best and usually raise their babies okay, but for my free range groups, I prefer the ones that bite since their chicks usually don't disappear as often

 

[3KillerBs]

Drat! Hopefully it works out for you and the hens. Any luck moving at night maybe?

I put Mocha in last night.

She's not as frantic as Black-Yellow was so maybe she'll settle onto the golf balls and sit.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

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.

 

[3KillerBs]

Black-Yellow didn't graft to the nest in 2 days so I let her out this morning. I'll move Mocha in tonight -- with long sleeves and gloves.

 

[junior67]

Black-Yellow didn't graft to the nest in 2 days so I let her out this morning. I'll move Mocha in tonight -- with long sleeves and gloves.

Good luck!!!

 

[Silexian]

I let any broody that will stay sitting tight. After I move them to a broody coop, hatch some eggs. I do the same as when I introduce brooder raised chicks to the main flock. I let them out of their broody coop to roam around the yard. They usually go back to the broody coop for awhile. Then eventually start going back to the main coop, with the rest of the flock.

 

[3KillerBs]

I think it's the 5th try (at least I've successfully broken all my broodies, right?), I believe I've gotten one grafted. FINALLY.

So I gave her 8 eggs this morning.

Mixed batch -- some Marans crosses, a California White egg, and some of the random light brown ones that are *mostly* from the Australorps.

Last hatch with Ludwig as a possible father. I'm not going to incubate again until at least early September.