Is my hen broody?

[Cocochicken]

Is it cold there? Many times Hens will cuddle up to rest in a nest of eggs and not be Broody at all.. I give them a couple of days to commit to being Broody before I give eggs. I have a Silkie now that is committed and on 5 eggs.

Yes...it is cold here. We are on day 3 of this cuddling in the nest, and she’s even more so today.

 

[chickens really]

Yes...it is cold here. We are on day 3 of this cuddling in the nest, and she’s even more so today.

Well I run heat in my Coop here in central Alberta. We are in a cold spell so will set up a crate closer to the heat lamp and build a proper nest for her and her eggs.

 

[aart]

If it's cold, are you sure you want her to set and hatch....if she is broody?

Is she on nest most the day and all night?
When you pull her out of nest and put her on the ground, doesn't she flatten right back out into a fluffy screeching pancake?
Does she walk around making a low cluckcluckcluckcluckcluck(ticking bomb) sound on her way back to the nest?
If so, then she is probably broody and you'll have to decide how to manage it.

 

[Cocochicken]

If it's cold, are you sure you want her to set and hatch....if she is broody?

Is she on nest most the day and all night?
When you pull her out of nest and put her on the ground, doesn't she flatten right back out into a fluffy screeching pancake?
Does she walk around making a low cluckcluckcluckcluckcluck(ticking bomb) sound on her way back to the nest?
If so, then she is probably broody and you'll have to decide how to manage it.

I am soooo new to this....but....I have read some encouraging stories on chickens having no problem hatching in extremely cold weather. Today she was on all day....she seems to be off the nest only early in the morning. Tonight I plan on checking at about midnight to see if she’s still in the nest or if she’s roosting with the others. I have not witnessed her walking around making any noises, nor have I tried to pull her off. I may do the experiment tomorrow though. I’ll keep you updated!

 

[aart]

I am soooo new to this....but....I have read some encouraging stories on chickens having no problem hatching in extremely cold weather. Today she was on all day....she seems to be off the nest only early in the morning. Tonight I plan on checking at about midnight to see if she’s still in the nest or if she’s roosting with the others. I have not witnessed her walking around making any noises, nor have I tried to pull her off. I may do the experiment tomorrow though. I’ll keep you updated!

This is the best place to learn!
I would not give her any eggs until you are sure she's broody(collect all eggs daily)...
...and sure you want her to hatch(you don't have to let her, it up to you-not the bird).
Some birds are what I call 'loungers', they sit around in the nest before and after laying.

Oh, and, Welcome to BYC!
Where in this world are you located?
Climate is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[Cocochicken]

This is the best place to learn!
I would not give her any eggs until you are sure she's broody(collect all eggs daily)...
...and sure you want her to hatch(you don't have to let her, it up to you-not the bird).
Some birds are what I call 'loungers', they sit around in the nest before and after laying.

Oh, and, Welcome to BYC!
Where in this world are you located?
Climate is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!
View attachment 1645987

Thanks aart! I’m in Nova Scotia Canada. Thanks for showing me how to update my profile with that. Not sure if that helps you to give me any indication as to likeliness these will hatch under mama in her coop. The story I heard about this guy hatching chicks in winter was actually in Manitoba, which gets even colder than here at times. Yes, I have learned so much here on these chats. I would love to be able to expand my flock naturally with a broody. I started back in June with six unsexed chicks and four turned out to be Roos. I kept one and of course my two girls. I’m thinking as this is day one with all the eggs (day 3 with just one of them) I’ll wait till day seven and try candling....provided she sticks with it. I do have a brooding lamp so may resort to that if the eggs are viable and she happens to give up. For now...she seems pretty dedicated so I’ll just let her do her thing I think. Thanks very much for your input

 

[aart]

I've let broody hatch in a frigid winter....it worked out OK, but I wouldn't do it again.

I do have a brooding lamp so may resort to that if the eggs are viable and she happens to give up.

Hmmm...might need more that a 'brooding lamp' to incubate eggs.
Those are usually for keeping chicks warm after they hatch.
Incubation takes bit more than just a lamp.

 

[Cocochicken]

I've let broody hatch in a frigid winter....it worked out OK, but I wouldn't do it again.


Hmmm...might need more that a 'brooding lamp' to incubate eggs.
Those are usually for keeping chicks warm after they hatch.
Incubation takes bit more than just a lamp.

Yes, I’ll definitely research it a bit more and set something up just in case. Got any proven ideas for a homemade incubator? And thanks for the link on the broody hatching in frigid winter. I’ll be reading that one through right now.

 

[rebrascora]

It may also be that she is hiding out in the nest box to keep out of the way of the cockerel. Keeping one cockerel with 2 pullets will be hard on them, especially when there are no older birds to keep him in line. Those hormones will just be starting to kick in and an adolescent cockerel can really harass the life out of pullets especially when there are only 2 of them. If she is not showing any other signs of being broody, she may just be trying to avoid him.
Is there any sign of her plucking her breast ie a bald patch. Not all broodies do it but in winter I would expect that it is more necessary than in summer to ensure adequate heat is transferred to the eggs. Is she flattened down on the nest and does she screech at you if you reach towards her? Does she do one huge stinking poop a day?... if you only have 3 chickens, a broody poop is going to be pretty obvious in the pen or coop.

 

[Cocochicken]

It may also be that she is hiding out in the nest box to keep out of the way of the cockerel. Keeping one cockerel with 2 pullets will be hard on them, especially when there are no older birds to keep him in line. Those hormones will just be starting to kick in and an adolescent cockerel can really harass the life out of pullets especially when there are only 2 of them. If she is not showing any other signs of being broody, she may just be trying to avoid him.
Is there any sign of her plucking her breast ie a bald patch. Not all broodies do it but in winter I would expect that it is more necessary than in summer to ensure adequate heat is transferred to the eggs. Is she flattened down on the nest and does she screech at you if you reach towards her? Does she do one huge stinking poop a day?... if you only have 3 chickens, a broody poop is going to be pretty obvious in the pen or coop.

She’s really in a trance like state and today I observed her tucking the eggs under her when she shifted and seems she was turning them with her legs underneath her. It is now 9 pm at night and I know she hasn’t budged since 8:30 am this morning. She doesn’t screech though. And yes....there are a few gigantic poops in there. Pretty sure she is definitely being broody....whether she’ll stand the test of time....who knows! We shall see!!!