My first broody hen. Advice please

[smoore7489]

Okay so I posted this in another forum because I thought my chicken was sick. Turns out she is just broody! It took me by total surprise! And since its no longer an emergency I decided to start another thread.
So she was in there most the morning yesterday and left the nest and didnt go back. This morning she is right back in there being a good broody momma. It was as if she changed her mind but then decided to give it another go.
I want chicks! Bad! We got rid of our two roosters 2.5 weeks ago but our eggs are still fertilized as of today. She is 6 months old. We were gonna wait till next year to get a Roo and try for chicks but if shes willing I am too!
What should I do to help? Am I just having too high of hopes? Im researching like crazy but would love everyones input on this!
Thanks!!!
-One Hopeful grandma!

 

[theuglychick]

For me, when all of my hens go broody, it's impossible to stop them, but I have some breeds that are particularly known to go broody (Brahms's, Orpingtons, and Marian's).

I finally caved and let one hatch some chicks out. It was this hens first time going broody. I was hesitant to let her have fertile eggs because I thought she might loose interest and the chicks would die. To be safe, I let her sit in the nest (on nothing) and I incubated the eggs for 18 days, then when it was time to lock them down, I put them under her. Hearing the chicks and feeling them move the eggs really made her hunker down. She got up once for a good drink and food and a dust bath, then she didn't move for the next 4 days while they all hatched. She hatched out everyone except a few that a darn snake got.

I would say a first time broody is a little bit of a gamble, but if you're willing to sacrifice a few eggs, go for it! You could always have an incubator on standby if she decides she isn't ready.

What breed is she?

 

[smoore7489]

For me, when all of my hens go broody, it's impossible to stop them, but I have some breeds that are particularly known to go broody (Brahms's, Orpingtons, and Marian's).

I finally caved and let one hatch some chicks out. It was this hens first time going broody. I was hesitant to let her have fertile eggs because I thought she might loose interest and the chicks would die. To be safe, I let her sit in the nest (on nothing) and I incubated the eggs for 18 days, then when it was time to lock them down, I put them under her. Hearing the chicks and feeling them move the eggs really made her hunker down. She got up once for a good drink and food and a dust bath, then she didn't move for the next 4 days while they all hatched. She hatched out everyone except a few that a darn snake got.

I would say a first time broody is a little bit of a gamble, but if you're willing to sacrifice a few eggs, go for it! You could always have an incubator on standby if she decides she isn't ready.

What breed is she?

Opps forgot to mention that! Shes a Rhode Island Red which a lot of people say they arent known to go broody but she is the only one interested in doing so. Im okay with loosing a few eggs. I decided to crack open 5 of them from the past few days and one wasnt fertilized.
I was contemplating on buying chicks before winter hit and then this happened so I'm kind of excited lol

 

[theuglychick]

It can't hurt to try!! Let us know how it goes!!

 

[TeeMom]

I've had 3 first time broodies this spring and summer and all 3 have successfully hatched new babies and gone on to be good chicken mom's. I don't give them eggs until they have been sitting for 2 full days and then I move them to a brooder pen. There are plenty of people who let them brood with the rest of the flock, but moving them cuts out a whole host of potential problems. Good luck!

 

[smoore7489]

So shes off the nest again. Is this normal behaivor for a broody hen? This is only her 2nd day of trying. She will be there till around 2pm. And then she is off. But she definitely has the attitude for some reason. She was laying somewhere else and did the whole fluff of the feathers and raptor growls as I walked by. Ive been googling this and coming up empty.

 

[bobbi-j]

So shes off the nest again. Is this normal behaivor for a broody hen? This is only her 2nd day of trying. She will be there till around 2pm. And then she is off. But she definitely has the attitude for some reason. She was laying somewhere else and did the whole fluff of the feathers and raptor growls as I walked by. Ive been googling this and coming up empty.

I wouldn't get too excited yet. How long has she been laying? Is she still laying? If you want to make sure she's broody, I'd put golf balls, fake eggs, rocks roughly the size of eggs, or maybe marked grocery store eggs in her nest and see what she does with them. She'd obviously not truly dedicated yet. I wouldn't try to put fertile eggs under her until she has spent at least three days, two nights in the nest. At least. Good luck!

 

[theuglychick]

Is she off for the rest of the day?

Mine only got off for about 30 mins to 45 mins a day.

 

[TeeMom]

I agree with bobbi-j. I have several hens that have never gone broody, yet they growl and puff up every time I go in the coop when in the nest. Some of my ladies will spend several hours in the nest box daily...it's just who they are. If she is still laying then she's not truly broody. It's also possible that she's working up to that broody stage and just not there yet and just needs a few more days, but definitely don't trust her with any fertile eggs until she's committed.

 

[smoore7489]

Sorry for such late reply but you all might be right. She is still getting off the nest around early afternoon and doesnt go back in it. So she may just be "testing it out" so to speak. I hope she does go broody though. Id love to have some more chicks before winter hits.
She stayed on the nest till around 3pm today. Its now 4:30 and she got off at some point because she is out eating and socializing. I went to collect the eggs and she followed me in there and attentively watched. I guess its just a wait and see kind of thing.

Ive already decided that by spring ill get some Buff Orphington chicks and some other breed that goes broody really well. I wanna see some babies!