I have a broody hen but my hatching eggs haven't arrived yet???

[herehenhere]

Hi, I've got a broody hen, she's a hybrid, a Columbian Legbar, I think, and she's very determined! I'm waiting on some hatching eggs through the post and I don't know whether to move her to her own pen yet and let her sit on the eggs she has currently claimed in the meantime, or to move her now and then add the new hatching eggs when they arrive (her broodiness should last the extra days for the new eggs right?) She literally went broody just as my incubator and a heat plate arrived in the post! If you can help I'd be very grateful. Thank you!

 

[rebrascora]

Hi

She may not take kindly to being moved, so if you plan to do that and let her brood in a separate broody apartment or even just a different nest site, it is definitely a good idea to get it sorted and her settled in the new location before you give her the hatching eggs. She is homed to her current nest and may panic when you move her and she can't get back to it. Do it after dark and make sure she has a nest full of eggs to keep her occupied and unable to get back to her original nest because after she takes her broody break she will want to return to it just like she is on autopilot. That can happen for the first 3-4 days after moving a broody hen to a new nest. Once she is settled and sitting tight, then give her the hatching eggs. It doesn't matter if it takes a week for her to settle, broody hens cannot count to 21, so they will normally just set until chicks hatch. I've had broody hens set for 2 months on nothing but nest material when I didn't have facilities to break them. Of course as a new and untried broody, she may abandon her broodiness when you move her or half way through incubation. Some birds just don't make good mothers or are not fully committed, but you don't know until they try. It is good that you have an incubator for back up though.

One important tip I will give you is to spray the area where you are going to set her with permethrin spray and scatter some louse powder into the nest material. Broody hens are a magnate for red mites, providing a 24/7 banqueting opportunity. This can really drain and irritate a broody hen and sometimes cause her to abandon her nest and eggs at a critical stage because she cannot tolerate them anymore. You also don't want your chicks hatching into such and infested environment.

Good luck. Broody hens are the best!

 

[herehenhere]

A wonderful reply, thank you! I'm also from County Durham lovely to meet another person on here from the area! Fingers crossed she'll be a great broody then. I may update the story along the way, have a great day!

 

[Shezadandy]

Couple things to think about:

Some hens don't care where they're moved to. They see the lovely eggs in the new spot, plop down and make themselves at home. I love it when they do that.

Some, however, are more particular. I have one hen that requires the cat crate until hatch time if I have to take her out of the nest box.

If I leave them with the flock, their nest box is 100% blocked off with hardware cloth frames to make sure the others can't jump in and irritate her, potentially resulting in broken eggs.

That approach (and a smaller crate too) requires that you develop a routine- let her out once a day- I usually have to lift them off so they'll go eat, drink and poo - I stand guard over her nest while she's doing her thing- nosy hens can plant themselves on her nest while she's off eating, causing (again) a potential for broken eggs.

If she panics when you move her- consider the new area's size issue. Some prefer a very homey closed in space, like a cat crate. If she stands there looking dumbstruck instead of settling in on the new nest, playing with the space could save the situation. Others will love being in our huge dog crate, building their nest in one area and the food/water over there etc.

Either way: I would leave her with her commandeered eggs until her situation is settled. The shipped eggs should be left to rest for 12-24 hrs anyhow, so things should be sorted by then. If she's fussy about you taking her infertile eggs to give her new ones, do it at night.

If she's friendly enough, I like to give them their eggs 2 at a time so they can tuck them (quite professionally) right where they want them. Some hens are too vile as broodies to go with this method- in that case, at night is the way to go. Also consider marking your fertile eggs to avoid any potential confusion. =)

 

[rebrascora]

Oh wow! Hello neighbour and welcome! How coincidental that you are from the same part of the world! Are you getting your hatching eggs from Durham Hens at Tow Law? What breeds are you getting?
I've just got my first broody of the season and I'm thinking of buying in some hatching eggs from them instead of hatching more bantams or barnyard mixes from my own flock. I didn't raise any chicks last year and I had a long egg drought through the winter, so looking to rectify that and perhaps replace the exchequer leghorns and RIR that I lost the last couple of years. I love the quirky personality of the leghorns and their white eggs..... my blue and green eggs don't look nearly so bonny when there isn't a brilliant white egg in the box to make the colour stand out. I have one cross from them left and she is such a gobby wench, always in your face and chattering on, but in an endearing sort of way.
Do you have an allotment or are you keeping them in your garden? What are your other interests?

Regards

Barbara

 

[herehenhere]

Hehe! Well hello, Barbara! I couldn't believe it when I saw Consett on here at first I thought it was my own location on the details. I bought my original 6 hens from Durham hens and they've been fantastic, although I did loose my Plymouth Rock recently. No, I've bought my hatching eggs on eBay, Light Sussex and some Welsh Harlequin Duck eggs. I would love a green egg layer and yes I also think our blue eggs wouldn't be as pretty without our Leghorn's eggs. I live just out of Tow Law on the A68, so I'm going to keep them in my garden. I'm planning to grow some veggies but other than that no special interests and no other animals other than some doves as unfortunately we're allergic to anything unless its feathered. I would like some bees though. How about you, do you keep any other animals?

Regards

Georgia

 

[rebrascora]

@Shezadandy makes some very good points. I actually have an old sideboard/cupboard in the coop that I move broody hens into. I drilled a few holes in the door to let in a bit of light and for ventilation but it is essentially pretty dark and secluded. Broody hens like peace and quiet. I open the door each day whilst I do my chores to let her out for a broody break. Usually the noise from the other hens being let out wakes her from her broody trance and she is ready to hop off the nest when I open the door but sometimes she needs to be lifted off. I close the door whilst she is off and do a few chores whilst she is eating and dust bathing and watch out for her returning to the coop. When I see that, I open the cupboard door and watch for her to return to the nest. I ensure that there are no eggs in any of the other nest boxes that may tempt her to go back to her original nest but sometimes she will still go to the wrong nest for the first few days. I just wait for her to settle and then move her to the cupboard and she will see the eggs and climb on and I shut the door. I usually place food and water in the cupboard with her but she doesn't bother with it much.
If you leave her in a communal nest box, then definitely mark the hatching eggs unless they are of a colour or size that makes them notably different from your regular eggs.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi Georgia
Gosh it just gets more coincidental!!! I am a beekeeper! And my interest is in helping new beekeepers get started. I compose a swarm list each year of new local beekeepers who are in need of bees and I do my best to supply them (free of charge) with swarms from either my own apiary or ones that I collect. I have supplied bees to a friend who now lives at Helme Park and I have another on my list for this year from Tow Law. I would recommend you get a book called "The Barefoot Beekeeper" by Phil Chandler and build a top bar hive. You don't have to be overly gifted to build a top bar hive, whereas a framed hive has to be precision made. I've made one out of reclaimed tongue and groove panelling that came out of a shop refit and another from an old corner cabinet. I highly recommend an observation window. If you are interested, you could come and visit and get some ideas and perhaps a little hands on beekeeping experience.
I also grow a few veg but not nearly as well as my Dad used to. Both my partner and I also have horses..... we are busy at the "Horses at War" weekend at Beamish Museum driving his pair this weekend, so got to head out now but will catch up with you again later hopefully.

 

[herehenhere]

Oh wow! This is unbelievable! Yes I would definitely be interested in getting some hands on experience and so would my dad, he's always wanted bees and would also be able to build a hive. I've been researching quite a lot recently so I know some of the basics. Have a great weekend at Beamish, its a fab place. Good luck!

 

[herehenhere]

Couple things to think about:

Some hens don't care where they're moved to. They see the lovely eggs in the new spot, plop down and make themselves at home. I love it when they do that.

Some, however, are more particular. I have one hen that requires the cat crate until hatch time if I have to take her out of the nest box.

If I leave them with the flock, their nest box is 100% blocked off with hardware cloth frames to make sure the others can't jump in and irritate her, potentially resulting in broken eggs.

That approach (and a smaller crate too) requires that you develop a routine- let her out once a day- I usually have to lift them off so they'll go eat, drink and poo - I stand guard over her nest while she's doing her thing- nosy hens can plant themselves on her nest while she's off eating, causing (again) a potential for broken eggs.

If she panics when you move her- consider the new area's size issue. Some prefer a very homey closed in space, like a cat crate. If she stands there looking dumbstruck instead of settling in on the new nest, playing with the space could save the situation. Others will love being in our huge dog crate, building their nest in one area and the food/water over there etc.

Either way: I would leave her with her commandeered eggs until her situation is settled. The shipped eggs should be left to rest for 12-24 hrs anyhow, so things should be sorted by then. If she's fussy about you taking her infertile eggs to give her new ones, do it at night.

If she's friendly enough, I like to give them their eggs 2 at a time so they can tuck them (quite professionally) right where they want them. Some hens are too vile as broodies to go with this method- in that case, at night is the way to go. Also consider marking your fertile eggs to avoid any potential confusion. =)

I have a lovely cosy but roomy hutch fingers crossed she'll like it. Thank you for your reply it is much appreciated!

Couple things to think about:

Some hens don't care where they're moved to. They see the lovely eggs in the new spot, plop down and make themselves at home. I love it when they do that.

Some, however, are more particular. I have one hen that requires the cat crate until hatch time if I have to take her out of the nest box.

If I leave them with the flock, their nest box is 100% blocked off with hardware cloth frames to make sure the others can't jump in and irritate her, potentially resulting in broken eggs.

That approach (and a smaller crate too) requires that you develop a routine- let her out once a day- I usually have to lift them off so they'll go eat, drink and poo - I stand guard over her nest while she's doing her thing- nosy hens can plant themselves on her nest while she's off eating, causing (again) a potential for broken eggs.

If she panics when you move her- consider the new area's size issue. Some prefer a very homey closed in space, like a cat crate. If she stands there looking dumbstruck instead of settling in on the new nest, playing with the space could save the situation. Others will love being in our huge dog crate, building their nest in one area and the food/water over there etc.

Either way: I would leave her with her commandeered eggs until her situation is settled. The shipped eggs should be left to rest for 12-24 hrs anyhow, so things should be sorted by then. If she's fussy about you taking her infertile eggs to give her new ones, do it at night.

If she's friendly enough, I like to give them their eggs 2 at a time so they can tuck them (quite professionally) right where they want them. Some hens are too vile as broodies to go with this method- in that case, at night is the way to go. Also consider marking your fertile eggs to avoid any potential confusion. =)

I have a lovely cosy but roomy hutch so fingers crossed she'll like it and will just plop herself down as you say Thank you for your reply it is much appreciated! And I'll definitely let the eggs rest after being in the post. I'll be keeping all the comments on this post handy as it's my first attempt at hatching eggs / having a broody hen. Thanks again, have a good day!