Giving Broody Hen Chicks

[pewnikitty]

What are the pros/cons of giving a broody hen hatchery chicks to raise? I have a girl that just went broody this week and pre ordered some chicks about a month ago. I should be getting them the first week of March, so I don’t know if it would even be feasible to let her be broody that long. This is our first batch of chickens and the first time one has gone broody. She is a Buff Orpington.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

What are the pros/cons of giving a broody hen hatchery chicks to raise? I have a girl that just went broody this week and pre ordered some chicks about a month ago. I should be getting them the first week of March, so I don’t know if it would even be feasible to let her be broody that long. This is our first batch of chickens and the first time one has gone broody. She is a Buff Orpington.

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When I have given my broody hen chicks, it seems like the chicks end up much healthier and really active from the start. You also don’t have to integrate them because they are protected and already integrated from the start by a broody. The bad thing is, they just aren’t very friendly, at least mine aren’t.

 

[JaeG]

Hens can sit, waiting for something to hatch, for up to 6 weeks so if she keeps at it you can try. I just tried my Orpington as I'd hatched some chicks, but she just wants to sit and isn't interested in the chicks. I did wonder as she hasn't been making that funny constant cluck that broodies do when off the nest.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Hens can sit, waiting for something to hatch, for up to 6 weeks so if she keeps at it you can try. I just tried my Orpington as I'd hatched some chicks, but she just wants to sit and isn't interested in the chicks. I did wonder as she hasn't been making that funny constant cluck that broodies do when off the nest.

I think she hasn’t been broody long enough. chickens seem to have an internal time clock when it comes to raising chicks and laying eggs, since you said she has only started doing it this week, you probably need it to wait a couple more weeks.

 

[JaeG]

I think she hasn’t been broody long enough. chickens seem to have an internal time clock when it comes to raising chicks and laying eggs, since you said she has only started doing it this week, you probably need it to wait a couple more weeks.

She's been broody for at least 2 weeks but she's been quiet all of that time, no typical broody constant clucking when off the nest. She's not a young bird and she's never been a mother before, though she was very broody in her youth. She made it clear she wasn't interested and I was tossing up whether to try or not in the first place as she's got quite a limp so I was worried about her squishing a chick by accident. At least I get to raise the little cuties now. One in particular is super adorable.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

She's been broody for at least 2 weeks but she's been quiet all of that time, no typical broody constant clucking when off the nest. She's not a young bird and she's never been a mother before, though she was very broody in her youth. She made it clear she wasn't interested and I was tossing up whether to try or not in the first place as she's got quite a limp so I was worried about her squishing a chick by accident. At least I get to raise the little cuties now. One in particular is super adorable.

She is probably not roosting because she has a leg injury. You said she has quite a limp, maybe it is making it painful for her to get up on the roost. Have you checked out her leg? If her leg is giving her pain she is not gonna wanna jump up onto a roost or jump down from it

 

[JaeG]

She is probably not roosting because she has a leg injury. You said she has quite a limp, maybe it is making it painful for her to get up on the roost. Have you checked out her leg? If her leg is giving her pain she is not gonna wanna jump up onto a roost or jump down from it

She injured it awhile ago I'd say getting off the roost, but she still runs full speed towards you if there's food involved (she loves her food and she's a big girl). Despite the limp she's stayed active and it doesn't seem to be causing her pain. Our kids love her so I was reluctant to cull her if she could still get around ok. Usually she would be out and about with the rest of her flock but the past 2 weeks she's stayed in the nestbox only coming off to eat in the morning and evening. She still seems bright and happy (and very food focused) and she's never been a pecky, grumpy broody. The nestboxes are raised a little way above the floor and she's been getting in and out of them just fine. I've just been puzzled by how quiet she's been but it's been a couple of years since she was broody (they've had a couple of moves over the last 2 years as we sold up and moved to temporary accommodation while we built a house) so I'm wondering if she was ever a clucker. I'll definitely keep an eye on her but she was most unimpressed by the peeping little fuzz balls I was offering her, to the extent that she gave one a peck then turned around in the nest so that her back was to me.

I hatched the chicks because we finally have a rooster and I am worried that our older girls are slowing down and might not be laying for much longer. They've all been great birds. Some have laid well, some have been very sweet and docile, some are so pretty to look at. So I'm thrilled that I can hatch my own replacements and hopefully keep some of those good traits in the flock.