My 1st ever broody

[Kholts]

Early last week I noticed my 1 hen not leaving the nesting box & b****ing me out anytime I entered the coop. I gave her 4 days to see if she continued (took all the eggs from her everyday).

Safe to say she was broody. I have a hen only coop so I decided to get 6 eggs to put under her from a friend.

It’s now day 4 & she’s calmed down. She doesn’t scream at me & I can lift her to grab the non hatching eggs as the other hens sneak in beside her & lay so she rolls them up under her.

Only question I have is I think she crushed one of the hatching eggs but not sure if it was accident or a dud she decided to be rid of. Does that happen?


I’ll get pictures later & share.

 

[Perris]

Only question I have is I think she crushed one of the hatching eggs but not sure if it was accident or a dud she decided to be rid of. Does that happen?

Or it might have been one of the other hens if they are squeezing in next to her to lay; that's not an ideal situation BTW. Is there anywhere else you could steer them to lay their eggs, e.g. by partitioning off the broody's nest temporarily?

Accidents do happen, especially with a novice broody. I don't think she could detect a dud at day 4 (it hasn't really had time to start rotting, even if it was infected with bacteria) so I wouldn't attribute intention to the breakage.

 

[Kholts]

I’ve provided additional nest boxes as well as paritioned off her area but I can’t go right to the ceiling so I’m thinking they are just jumping it.

 

[Kholts]

Candled the eggs under my broody on Saturday. (Day 13).

I pulled 1 as it was dead. 3 had movement & the last one is a tiny bantam egg & I think I saw something moving but it was tiny & the egg itself super spotted so it was hard to tell (I left it with her).

I’m excited for Sunday!!

 

[Perris]

good luck! Do please let us know how it goes

 

[Kholts]

My grumpy broody came out for a break. She’s walking around strutting like a Turkey, pissed at the world.

She’s the white/tan one.

 

[Perris]

if they are due to hatch Sunday, this will probably be her last time out for a few days; make sure she has as much as she wants to eat and drink

 

[Kholts]

if they are due to hatch Sunday, this will probably be her last time out for a few days; make sure she has as much as she wants to eat and drink

Will do. I do keep a small solo cup of feed in her box. I may have to put a little thing of water too

 

[Perris]

It isn't necessary to have food or water in her box at this time; if her instincts are good she will just sit tight while they hatch underneath her. She will be quietly encouraging them and they will be even more quietly cheeping inside their shells to co-ordinate the hatch. The best thing you can do to help is be patient and watch without interfering. She will show them to you when the time is right. Trust her, and millions of years of evolution.

 

[junior67]

my broody got off even after an egg had pipped under her (and went back to the wrong nest which thankfully I have a camera in there so saw it so as soon as I could I moved her back. I was so worried the chick wouldn't make it but it hatched right on out and is 3 days old now and doing great. I didn't have food, water or anything in there for her. She would go out and do her thing then go back (sometimes to the wrong nest at the beginning and again at the end after stopping for a while.... But she went off the nest the whole time for a quick break. don't know if that is normal or not

Good luck on your hatch! Oh and once I had one that squeezed in with her to lay, or may have been twice.

I am also letting her raise the babies in the coop with the rest and it is going AMAZING!! I never blocked her off or anything.