First timer Broody hens questions

[lulu88]

Hello,
This is our first year keeping chicken (will be a year in mid-May). So far everything was successful. We have 20 hens, mostly Speckled Sussex, a few Black Australorps, and one Speckled roo.

Now we need advise on broody hens subject:
We let one sit on the eggs starting very first days of March. She sat for 4-5 days, and then moved to next box for a day or so, then came back...
First question: what's going to happen? The first few eggs are probably not vital any more, as they stayed without a hen for a day and a half approximately. But then she came back and laid more eggs. Is she going to stay on them till anything hatches (IF anything hatches)?

Next question:
about a week ago another broody hen just joined her in the first box. We have 6 nesting boxes, but she had to climb right into occupied one... What's going to happen now?
They are sitting now together on a huge combined pile of eggs.

More questions, as we have no idea what's going to happen.
Ideally we'd prefer to leave babies with their mom and let the nature to take it's course. Is it a good idea?
The boxes are about 3.5' above the floor. What do we need to do? Help them to get down? Do not touch anybody? Keep them in the nesting box? For how long? Do we need to separate them from the rest of the flock?

All your advise is greatly appreciated!
Thanks!

 

[rancher hicks]

Having had 4 hens go broody I advise moving a broody to a private area, as it seems like everytime she gets up to do her business once a day , some other hen will get in her box and lay. This is most likely what happened. She came back to her box and found someone else in it, so she just moved to another w/ eggs. Hens don't seem to care if it's their eggs or someone elses.

So first answer: You can move her to a private nest or block off her nest so others can't get in and she can get out to go poo and eat and drink once a day. You can give her the eggs you want her to hatch, she won't care. I had one hen who sat and hatched two eggs.
Second question, move one hen to her private box. It's possible that the second bird climbed back into her own nest to find an intruder and decided "heck I'll just sit here anyway." All broodies are not equal. Some will let you near her babies some won't.

Now as for the mother question. That depends on the hen. I've had two who will kill you if you go near their babies. Chicks seem to understand mom when she says "get over here!". On the other hand while she's protecting one the others could be at risk. Please google and read "Call Me Chicken" by L. Joseph Tauer. Its short and you will enjoy it. You have to decide whether you "CAN" let her raise them. Certainly you can let her run w/ the others like you see in the movies, just be aware of the risks as read in Call me Chicken. Most likely she will keep to her self. I visited a farm where I bought 4 CM chicks. The guy got a can of scratch and chickens of every size came running out of everywhere. It was cool. Then he grabbed the chicks I wanted and that was that. Just be aware of the risks as I said and be prepared for the loss if it occurs.

If you do move your broody to a private secure place do it at night. I moved mine to a private part of my garage. A 48" round kiddie pool surrounded by wire fencing and put the nest on the floor w/ a broody lamp over head. Or you can build a small broody coop just big enough for mom and her brood.

Hope some of this helps.
All the best

Rancher

 

[Portalguy]

Dear Experts,

Would like to bump this thread, as I'm in the same situation as Lulu (first post).

Is it mandatory to move a brood? Assuming that one or more chicks hatch out, they'll be in a box that is one meter above the floor, with no food or water, and a territorial cock waiting below.

What care and protection do I need to extend to the new chicks?

Thanks!
Robert
Ripton, Vermont

 

[kassy68]

bumping again... As I have the same situation.. Im on day 20-21 and I tosse her first eggs and took out bator eggs.. mutts.. I didnt want to to go broody so I tossed the first 11.... after she sat on an empty nest for 4 days I felt bad and took out the other mutt eggs Im hatching for a friend. I was thinking of moving her today into a dog kennel in a more private corner and letting her out that once day .. as others get on her nest still and then she sits in the nest next door.. last night when I went out her eggs were not very warm.. she's a first time broody and does not know to protect and get back on obvioulsy. gonna run out now and see whos there and take the crate.. otherwise I will have to bring them back into the bator as they are to close to hatching not to stay warm.. maybe I'll even go out to pips..

 

[kassy68]

put broody in the dog kennel.. she seemed to settle in.. I heard one peeping when I moved the eggs.. bad news is one was off in a corner and looked like it was stepped on.. so I put wet papertowel on it and put it inthe bator to warm back up.. it was cold cold and maybe I can save the little bugger.. mom didnt toss that egg aside, but when I put it under her I heard more crunching.. a RIR was in on the box when I went out and my broodies comb is bleeding like she put up a fight today.. will check several times to make sure she stays on the eggs..


Bummer.. the litte one didnt make it.. I thought I check it out since it was obviously stepped on.. fully formed and the yolk sack was still HUGE.. so Im wondering if when RIR stepped on it she smashed the stomach intestines back out.. looked like an australorp baby , so sad..