Coaxing Hens Into Broodiness?

[Nocila]

So I've currently got two broody hens. One is an Asil, and her eggs are growing perfectly, so I've decided to leave her nest be.

The other hen, a Japanese Bantam named Goldie, keeps forgetting which nest is hers, so I bought her some chicks today so that she wouldn't try to sit on the eggs anymore (I've candled them, and none of them have grown at all).

I gave Goldie her chicks, but she rejected them and ran from the nest. I'm not sure if she will return to the nest, as she's been off it for an hour or so, but she appears to be thinking about returning now...

I have another hen, an Old English Game named Mamma, who has gone broody several times (I think she wen't broody three times last year?), and we almost always graft chicks to her. Mamma has never rejected chicks before, but unfortunately, she isn't broody at the moment. Could I try to coax Mamma into broodiness by showing her the chicks? She seems to have a very strong maternal instinct, she even attacked the Asil once to keep her from her nest, and even I am afraid of the Asil sometimes...

Can hens go broody when they see chicks? I need to figure out what to do with the three chicks, because we would rather not have to raise chicks in the laundry room...

I also tried giving Goldie her chicks in daylight (I'm used to Mamma, who will accept them anytime, so I didn't think it would be a problem with Goldie, who reminds me a lot of Mamma), so should I try to give her the chicks again (supposing she returns to the nest), tonight?

 

[Nocila]

Any thoughts?

 

[subhanalah]

I would try to put them under her at night.
Watch for 20-30 minutes. Maybe an hour if you can lol. Check on them first thing in the morning.

 

[Nocila]

Put them under Goldie, or Mamma?

 

[centrarchid]

So I've currently got two broody hens. One is an Asil, and her eggs are growing perfectly, so I've decided to leave her nest be.

The other hen, a Japanese Bantam named Goldie, keeps forgetting which nest is hers, so I bought her some chicks today so that she wouldn't try to sit on the eggs anymore (I've candled them, and none of them have grown at all).

I gave Goldie her chicks, but she rejected them and ran from the nest. I'm not sure if she will return to the nest, as she's been off it for an hour or so, but she appears to be thinking about returning now...


I have another hen, an Old English Game named Mamma, who has gone broody several times (I think she wen't broody three times last year?), and we almost always graft chicks to her. Mamma has never rejected chicks before, but unfortunately, she isn't broody at the moment. Could I try to coax Mamma into broodiness by showing her the chicks? She seems to have a very strong maternal instinct, she even attacked the Asil once to keep her from her nest, and even I am afraid of the Asil sometimes...

Can hens go broody when they see chicks? I need to figure out what to do with the three chicks, because we would rather not have to raise chicks in the laundry room...

I also tried giving Goldie her chicks in daylight (I'm used to Mamma, who will accept them anytime, so I didn't think it would be a problem with Goldie, who reminds me a lot of Mamma), so should I try to give her the chicks again (supposing she returns to the nest), tonight?

They cannot go broody by just seeing chicks. It is easier for roosters to do that. Going broody naturally requires hen to be laying eggs in a location she is imprinted on and depleting her energy reserves. It games that seems to be the rule. Others like silkies you may be able to induce broodiness as you are thinking.


You also have an issue of imprinting. Hen and chicks need to be imprinted on each other. Not so imprinted means bad news for chicks.


Your description of Goldie is not consistent with broodiness, at least not that which I would consider normal. In the interest of the chicks she should not be used at this time.

 

[subhanalah]

I was saying goldie, if she goes back to her nest/broody behavior

 

[Nocila]

Goldie has returned to the nest, and I know she's broody. She barks/growls at me when I try to mess with her, and pecks at me. She's determined to hatch her eggs when she's on the nest (though she did seem to forget about them when she was off her nest the first few days.)

Goldie isn't a good broody with eggs, but neither was Mamma (Mamma kept switching between 3 or 4 nests, and we ended up having to remove her from the coop). With Mamma, as soon as she had chicks, she was very protective of her chicks, and didn't leave their side, but she acted a lot like Goldie when she had eggs.

 

[centrarchid]

Place chicks under her (Goldie) after dark. Make certain chicks sleep under her all night long. Light levels need to be low enough to prevent chicks from exploring. Current picture of chicks needed.

 

[Nocila]

Ok, sounds like a plan. She has been on her nest, and guarding them like normal for the past couple of hours, so that should work, knock on wood. With Mamma, once she's broody, she'll accept anything, so I've always just figured that most chickens would accept anything (so long as they aren't aggressive, like my Asil). With Mamma, it doesn't matter when we put the chicks under her, so I didn't even think about the fact that Goldie hasn't had chicks before, and might be a bit more reluctant to accept a baby...

Also, here are some pictures of the chicks: