Help with Broodies!! First timer with them.

[bigspringshatchery]

I've raised chickens for about 5 years and I have my first Broodies. I have 2 black copper marans and also a royal palm that is broody. And I'm wanting to order some eggs and let them sit. What do I need to do with them? Do I treat them just like normal hens? Or do I need to separate them in a pen by themselves?

 

[Chiko]

I usually like to set my broodies in a separate pen if possible. This keeps them from being disturbed. You can give them fake dummy eggs for them to sit on while you wait for the hatching eggs to arrive. They can't really tell the difference. Broody hens will sit on anything. (Theres a vid on youtube of a hen sitting on kittens.

) I feed mine Chick Starter since they aren't laying and they can benefit from the extra vitamins. I keep food and water close to them. Some say no, let them walk to it but when I do that the hens take more than the usual "20" minutes they need to eat, drink, dustbathe, poop, and it's often bad for the developing embryos to be left without heat. You will notice large(and i mean LARGE) piles of feces when she poops nothings wrong with her she's just building it up i think? lol

When hatching day comes it's hard not to lift her and take a peek, but many people on here say to just let her hatch them

All of my broody hens prefer dark places to nest. So keep their nest nice and dark but light enough so they can see what their doing. The hens do all the turning all of the worrying about the eggs. You just need to feed her and water her and in 3 weeks you'll have a happy hen walking around with new little fuzzy butts!!! (If your eggs were fertile

) Do you need anymore info? I'm really good with broodies

I've got one right now. My Japanese Bantam hen Anna. Heres a pic of her in her nest

and a few more.....

Hope this info was helpful! PM me or email me if you need more help