How to tell when a hen goes broody?

[jeff spahn]

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Yep, the growl like a dinosaur probably did. Pecking doesn't hurt that bad. I have let them chew on the tops of my hands and the worst thing is a little cut. Just wear leather gloves, let them go to town and laugh at them. I encourage mine with a "think you are so tough" every now and again and a "just remember where you are in the food chain girlie".

 

[lhowland]

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Absolutely NOT. Sometimes a hen prone to broodiness will be inspired to mother by the sound of chicks peeping but I don't think that happens very often. A hen not feeling motherly can attack and kill a chick rather quickly. But, if you have a broody and either don't have fertile eggs to set or simply want a different breed, you can try chick adoption. It's generally done by letting her sit on dummy eggs for a couple of weeks and then slip the chicks under her after dark. You then want to be close when the sun rises to intervene and save the chicks if she doesn't accept them. It's best to be prepared to brood them to juvenile size whenever you buy chicks.

Even some broody hens will kill them

OH DEAR!!! Ok I won't go that route!! I would feel terrible. Maybe I'll just wait raise the chicks until they are big enough to be put in with the other hens. But I remember reading that it is better to introduce 3 or more to a flock at a time so they are less apt to get picked on or overwhelm the existing flock with numbers. Which I can't do I have 13 right now. Any ideas? I really only wanted to add 1 or 2 to the flock. Maybe I'll just wait.

 

[lhowland]

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I'm not sure I can even do that. I have used gloves in the past but I'm not sure about the "knowing" I might get pecked if she is growling. Thank you though!

 

[crossgirl]

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I would love to know what breed is that hen in the picture with the white body, black neckline area, and rusty colored head. That looks like a beautiful hen. Thanks!!

The picture doesn't show her true colors. She's a buff brahma banty. Her body is beige. The other is a black tailed white Japanese.

 

[bloom chicks]

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I have a Red Rock that just hatched out 10 eggs. Her babies are a week old. She is an awesome mama. She is my 1st broody. I thought my BO were going to be my broody hens but thus far none of them are!

 

[Emptywagon2]

I have a banty mix hen that I think is going broody. She has been acting strange for a week or two. She has been staying away from the rest of the flock when free ranging, hanging out around the coop a lot more. Several times, this last week, she has stayed on the nest for long periods of time. This morning when I went out to get the eggs, she had all that had been laid under her and pecked at me twice when I tried to reach in to get them. I offered treat to the rest of the hens and she got off the nest after a little bit to get a treat. I was able to get to eggs then( none were her's). I checked on the girls after work and she was back on the nest sitting again. She got off to get a drink and I got her egg out while she was up. There are ping pong balls in the nest and she will set on them too. If she is going broody, what is the best way to let her have eggs without the other hens' eggs getting mixed up with her's?

 

[debid]

I have a banty mix hen that I think is going broody. She has been acting strange for a week or two. She has been staying away from the rest of the flock when free ranging, hanging out around the coop a lot more. Several times, this last week, she has stayed on the nest for long periods of time. This morning when I went out to get the eggs, she had all that had been laid under her and pecked at me twice when I tried to reach in to get them. I offered treat to the rest of the hens and she got off the nest after a little bit to get a treat. I was able to get to eggs then( none were her's). I checked on the girls after work and she was back on the nest sitting again. She got off to get a drink and I got her egg out while she was up. There are ping pong balls in the nest and she will set on them too. If she is going broody, what is the best way to let her have eggs without the other hens' eggs getting mixed up with her's?

Mark the eggs you want her to incubate (mark all of the way around because she will turn them...) and then check and remove any unmarked ones that show up under her. If you want to separate her from the flock somehow (some folks do), then there won't be any additional eggs because a hen stops laying while she broods. Also, she won't care whether the chicks she hatches are hers, biologically. So, have her hatch whichever eggs you like!

 

[Emptywagon2]

Thanks, I moved her last night( because I also noticed my roo wasn't being too nice to her) into a broody box. I place 4 eggs in with her. This morning... she was sitting beside the eggs. Hopefully, they will be ok & she will sit on the again.

If not, it was worth a try!

 

[macdoogle2]

So is it safe to assume that if I bring home chicks then a hen or a few hens will accept the chicks and look after them? All the girls seem very friendly and very curious about new strange things.

I would not assume this. If you have a Broody hen and she hatches some eggs then you may be able to add some newborn chicks under her along with her own and she may accept them.

 

[kbreak]

I have a buff orpington that went broody. Only had her a rooster that free ranged/ no coop slept in the tree. Anyway she hatched out 6 of 11 eggs at the base of an oak tree. We caught her and the 6 chicks at night and put them in a pen. It has been a wonderful experience. I am now addicted. My babies are 10 weeks old. In the last 10 weeks I have now got 32 chickens. I still have my babies in a seperate coop for fear the big girls may hurt them. Momma just moved back with the big girls this week ! It has been great!