First Broody!! Questions

[Kaybug137]

What all do I need to do for my broody girl? The other chickens are disturbing her and I have thee coop split in half where I can heard all the chickens in one half of the coop and lock the door. And how many days until the babies hatch?




Here's the momma bear. Not sure on what breed she is, shes smallish but very leggy.
Also bald on the belly assuming shes broody been sitting in that nest since Monday! I put dates one the eggs all laid today finally going to let her be a momma seems she works hard on laying eggs. Also not laying she puffs the skin under her beak out like a frog and fluffs up when I come near.

 

[BunkyB]

Sounds like a good start for the broody girl. See if you can separate her nest from the rest, a darkened area if possible or even put a blinder such as a cloth or something over the front of the box. As long as she can get out and in without too much of a fuss. You can also try to put her in another nesting box away from the rest of the crew.

If she is serious about being broody she will not allow the other hens to bother her too much and she will not give up her nest unless the other birds are nasty towards her.If she is staying on the nest while being mildly bothered it is a good thing and you may not have too much to worry about. Steve

 

[scooterward]

I have a momma hen, Rebekah, that raises my chicks each year. She's a great mom and adamant about staying on the nest. Last year, another hen who was broody started sitting on the eggs first then Rebekah kicked her out. At one time, they were BOTH sitting on the eggs in one nest box!

If you only have one broody hen, you should be ok and I will agree with Steve's comments that the others really won't be that huge of a bother where she would get off her eggs. If she's been there since Monday and it's now Friday and she's still there, you should be good to go. I read that it takes 21 days (just looked it up to be sure I was giving the right information).

After getting our own day old chicks and raising them then seeing how Rebekah raises them, hands down - I'd go with a broody hen each time. Sooooo much easier! And it's so neat to watch how the mom does her job.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[Kaybug137]

We split the coop inhalf cause the guinea are jerks but decided not to devide the birds, so if I decided to free range the chickens I could herd the guinea up to one half the coop and shut the little door and what not so. Momma bear is on the other side alone sitting in a create she didnt move when the chickens hopped up in the same box she pecked at them unless it was a bantam and the bantam was quick and tried to sit under her! I believe she'll stay! night two on the eggs