First time broody questions

[5 Points Wingfeather]

I just marked them with a sharpie and let her keep 10 eggs. Today I found one of the marked ones outside the nest and cracked. No idea what happened but glad she removed it

 

[Ridgerunner]

1. She has spent at last two straight nights on eggs and I haven’t seen her come off once—even when I offered the others mealworms. I’m assuming it’s safe to consider her officially broody?

With the two consecutive nights she meets my test of being worthy of eggs.

2. She’s 7 months. Is that too young?

Nope, not too young. I don't get many that go broody that young but it can happen. I've had as much good luck with first time broodies as I've had with hens that have successfully raised chicks before. I've had as much bad luck with hens that have successfully raised chicks before as I have with first time broodies. If you want to give her eggs I'd give her eggs.

3. Its February and in the upper 30s? Is that ok?

In Mississippi you should do fine. If you were in the far north it could be more challenging but people hatch with broodies this time of year up there too.

4. She’s somehow stealing eggs so I would like to stop that. I am thinking of putting her and the box with eggs in it in a wire crate in the coop with others. That way she can be with the other chickens but she can’t steal any more eggs. I will of course put food and water in there also. Will this work?

Occasionally a broody will steal eggs but it's much more common for other hens to lay in the nest with her. Whatever is happening you don't want her getting new eggs. I personally mark the eggs I want her to hatch with a black Sharpie and check under her every day to remove any that don't belong. Others isolate the broody hen as she incubates the eggs. As long as she is locked in so she can't leave the cage and go back to her old nest and other hens can't get in to lay eggs in her new nest you are OK.

A couple of warnings. If you isolate the hen make sure the chicks cannot slip out of that confinement and get where the hen cannot protect them. The chicks are in danger if they can get where Mama can't keep them safe.

If you pick up a hen with small chicks, be careful. Sometimes the chicks like to crawl up under the feathers or wings. I killed a chick once when picked a broody hen up to see what color her chicks were. A chick was under a wing and I crushed it. I'll still pick a hen up if I need to but I'm very careful. To me idle curiosity is not a need to pick a broody hen up.

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

Things are going well so far. Last time I candled, things looked good to my very amateur eyes. I wound up marking eggs with sharpies.


Here’s my new question. It’s getting down to 25 tonight and 23 tomorrow night. Is that going to kill the chicks? (They still have 5-7 days left till hatch)

 

[aart]

Here’s my new question. It’s getting down to 25 tonight and 23 tomorrow night. Is that going to kill the chicks? (They still have 5-7 days left till hatch)

Nah, as long as mama sits tight they'll be fine.
I assume she is in a coop so protected from wind.

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

Nah, as long as mama sits tight they'll be fine.
I assume she is in a coop so protected from wind.

Yep! She’s in the back corner in a box.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Here’s my new question. It’s getting down to 25 tonight and 23 tomorrow night. Is that going to kill the chicks? (They still have 5-7 days left till hatch)

When people start asking questions like this I like to link to this thread, it is excellent documentation about brooding in really cold weather, not what you'll see in Mississippi this time of the year. Trust Aart, she knows what she is talking about.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/947046/broody-in-michigan-winter

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

Here she is. She is doing great. Should have babies in a week if everything goes right.

 

[Mrs. K]

So jealous! So wishing I get a broody. Nothing is more fun than a broody and chicks.

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

Well today is day 21. I candled the remaining 8 eggs this morning and 7 seem to be ok as far as I can tell. 1 was clear. The last egg I picked up to candle had an external pip on it so hopefully things will go well over the next couple days. I’m assuming I shouldn’t have candled them so late. Just updating for any future readers.

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

Just another update for future readers: I should have blocked her off with wire. We lost a couple eggs with other hens getting in her nest. Lost a chick at day 20 that way. I have her blocked off now and here is the chick that hatched this morning. Still about 5 eggs under her hopefully they will hatch.