Incubation by Hen

[nzchookhaven]

Which is preferred? My hens are sitting on their set of eggs, broody, however what are the ups and downs of hatching eggs with hens?

 

[JaeG]

My hens have been wonderful mothers and its so much easier letting a hen raise the chicks. I've always isolated my broodies so there was no nest swapping but many people brood within the flock too. If you have multiple broodies on different nests that are due at different times there is a risk that the broodies of nests due later will abandon their nests to try and take care of the chicks that have hatched.

 

[nzchookhaven]

I've always isolated my broodies so there was no nest swapping but many people brood within the flock too. If you have multiple broodies on different nests that are due at different times there is a risk that the broodies of nests due later will abandon their nests to try and take care of the chicks that have hatched.

- Ok, how do you isolate your hens? Because my two borrdy hens are in nesting boxes next to each other.

 

[JaeG]

I put mine inside in a cardboard box or mini plastic kennel but mine are bantams which makes it easier to house them. They get all the treats and attention.

If you do move a broody always do it after dark and move them so they can't see familiar territory as they attach to a nesting site as opposed to the actual eggs. I've had one girl who didn't settle, but there's always more than one broody bantam to choose from at our house! It's best to move them, make sure they will settle and keep sitting before putting the eggs under them.

If your girls are sitting well and your other hens aren't annoying them I would leave them be. It really is so much easier letting hens raise babies and the babies immune systems benefit from being out and about much earlier. It's gorgeous watching their interactions too.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I've had two sets of 2 broodies sitting together. One pair were in nests next to each other, and the other 2 were separated out of their own choice (one in the main coop, the other in a smaller one). When the latter's hatched I moved that hen and her two young into the main coop with the other.

In both cases, both hens raised their young together. There is nothing like that to watch - it is amazing and endearing. They took care of everything. All that I had to do was make sure they had enough accessible food and water. The chicks were with the flock from day one and outside free ranging with moms on day 2.

 

[luvmigirls]

Heya, I really enjoyed hatching them myself in an incubator, BUT, having a hen take care of them after hatch is easier. They will stay with mom for about a month and a half after hatch. Chicks are needy (as we all know) so having the hen with them is much more ideal for working professionals like myself. My chicks that stay with mom are healthier and stronger and wiser.

 

[JedJackson]

If the hens started setting at the same time, there shouldn't be a problem. If they started setting at different times, you need to make sure that the eggs don't get mixed up-- if they're in separate nest boxes, this won't be a problem, either, but if they're in the same nest box it could be a problem.

As far as hen setting goes in general, I think it is much easier than the incubator and brooding the chicks yourself. You'll likely get a higher hatch rate and the hens will take care of their chicks for you. It is a good idea to have a separate pen for mama and babies because other chickens could harm the babies.

 

[Ridgerunner]

First you are dealing with living animals, you don’t get guarantees as far as behaviors. Just because one person did not have problems with two broody hens doesn’t mean you won’t. But the opposite is also true, just because one person did have trouble does not mean you will. Some people on this forum have several hens broody in the same coop on different schedules and don’t have problems. Some people have broody hens sharing the same nest and eggs and don’t have problems. But some people do. We cannot tell you what will happen with yours, but sometimes we can tell you what did or did not happen with ours. You may be fine with them hatching in the same coop, you may not. I really don’t know.

If you isolate a hen while she is incubating, you need to build a cage that she can’t get out of and no other hen can get in. It needs to be predator proof unless it is in a predator proof area. The fencing needs to have small enough openings that the baby chicks cannot get out. You might be able to build a cage around the existing nest, you might need to relocate the hen. In either case you need room for a nest, food, water, and a bit of room for her to go poop. A dust bath would be nice. A broody hen knows to not poop on her eggs but she does not know to not poop in her food or water. You may be doing some cleaning so give yourself access.

If you let the hen hatch with the flock you need to mark her eggs (I use a black Sharpie) and check under her once a day after all the other hens have laid to remove any eggs that don’t belong.

The main advantages with using an incubator is that you control everything. You don’t have to wait for a hen to go broody. But you are responsible for heat, humidity, and turning. You need to clean up after you are finished, more so that after a broody hen. If you have a broody hen you may be able to give her the chicks to raise but you may have to raise them yourself.

The main advantage with a broody hen is that she manages everything. She will probably do a better job than you will. You still have to clean up after the hatch but that’s usually just change out the nesting material.

If you don’t isolate her you need to check under her every day for new eggs. It’s possible a hen will go back to the wrong nest when she takes her daily sabbatical, especially if another hen is on her nest laying an egg when she returns. It doesn’t happen a lot but it is common enough, probably the most common problem. Some broody hens are worse about it than others. The broody interacts with the other flock members. That’s never been a problem with mine but some people say they’ve had problems and I believe them. When dealing with living animals and their behaviors you just don’t know what will happen.

If you isolate a hen you have to work a bit harder in doing food, water, and poop management. If she is isolated away from the flock you may need to do an integration later. If you move her nest she may break from being broody.

It’s not always an easy cut and dried decision. We do it all kinds of different ways for our own reasons. This is not one of those things where there is one and only one way we all have to do it or civilization as we know it will end. I don’t know what the right decision for you is. I don’t know what the actual risk is from two different broodies in the same coop on different nests. There are benefits and risks for every way. I wish you luck!

 

[nzchookhaven]

Ridgerunner, that was a fantastic reply. I have sort of come to the conclusion that everyone deals with their chickens differently, and that's all good. I'm thinking I'll just leave my hens be and see what comes to pass. This is only my first time with broody hens and it is an experiment but next time I'll have experience behind me to make better, informed decisions. Thank you for anyone who has given advice though, even if I dont use it.