No Brooders, No Problem

[Beckie G]

Day 18 for the oldest egg, would we consider this lock down or is it different with the mom doing her job and if it is lock down she seems to be in a constant state of lock down (except for when she's being all psycho) The only time she gets up is when we pick her up off the eggs once a day to give her breakfast and let her get a couple minutes of exercise even if that means her fluffing out and going on a zombie chicken pecking spree

.

At this rate she could be an extra on the walking dead. Her poop certainly smells like she's walking dead.

I'm wondering if anyone knows if it's normal for Rover to be doing his I'm a sexy chicken dance and possibly a little more than that at my other male Einstein? Not that it matters because I'm cool about those kind of things. I was thinking is this a show of dominance or could it be just any port in a storm?

Also I'm not quite sure how this could have happened but my australorp seems to have had a fertilized egg. This is odd because I NEVER put the two of them together. If he's the culprit then he did it through less than an inch of space. Oh the sick images! btw that eggs name is Sundays breakfast !

 

[Beekissed]

Day 18 for the oldest egg, would we consider this lock down or is it different with the mom doing her job and if it is lock down she seems to be in a constant state of lock down (except for when she's being all psycho) The only time she gets up is when we pick her up off the eggs once a day to give her breakfast and let her get a couple minutes of exercise even if that means her fluffing out and going on a zombie chicken pecking spree

.

At this rate she could be an extra on the walking dead. Her poop certainly smells like she's walking dead.

I'm wondering if anyone knows if it's normal for Rover to be doing his I'm a sexy chicken dance and possibly a little more than that at my other male Einstein? Not that it matters because I'm cool about those kind of things. I was thinking is this a show of dominance or could it be just any port in a storm?

Also I'm not quite sure how this could have happened but my australorp seems to have had a fertilized egg. This is odd because I NEVER put the two of them together. If he's the culprit then he did it through less than an inch of space. Oh the sick images! btw that eggs name is Sundays breakfast !

Yes...broody doesn't leave that nest in the last four days or so. The roo dance to another roo is a challenge and a dominant behavior. If they are penned together and do not have access to females they can and will "mate" the lesser roo out of sheer sexual frustration. Nothing connects, you understand, but it's just the action that seems to matter.

Lock up that bra, woman!

 

[Beckie G]

Yes...broody doesn't leave that nest in the last four days or so. The roo dance to another roo is a challenge and a dominant behavior. If they are penned together and do not have access to females they can and will "mate" the lesser roo out of sheer sexual frustration. Nothing connects, you understand, but it's just the action that seems to matter.

Lock up that bra, woman!

Hi , thanks for the reply. What about eating and going to the bathroom? She doesn't do either on her own.

Oh this bra is staying locked up unless we have to take that one egg, other than that.......NO

LOL

 

[Beckie G]

It was too light in the room so the lamp took a better pic with help. My husband sighs a lot these days lol
Definite eye today! Loved your video Beckie

There's nothing wrong with this picture

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Wait till the next couple of days when it starts moving and the pictures don't do it justice

 

[Beekissed]

Hi , thanks for the reply. What about eating and going to the bathroom? She doesn't do either on her own.

Oh this bra is staying locked up unless we have to take that one egg, other than that.......NO

LOL

They don't really need to, though us humans feel they should. If they have a nest out in the bush they don't locate it next to food and water. Most often it's in a brush pile somewhere and they don't move around much there so as to not attract predators. It's an instinctual behavior and a very good broody hardly ever comes off that nest. Their hormones slow down their metabolism and even control the blood flow to certain areas, whether that blood will hold nutrients or will not, all the while having a faster heart rate than a nonbroody hen. A broody hen is a miracle in design and cannot be matched for hatching efficiency. They don't actually need the food and water during these times if they have gone into the brood in good health. Forcing her off the nest is going against her instincts and her needs and compromising her hatch. She'll get off if she feels like it and will not starve there, nor die of dehydration. Her body is in a whole different mode than normal.

This is one reason I find broody hatches in a coop situation are not as good as if the hen is separated out into her own pen so there are no distractions and she doesn't have to see other hens eating and drinking. I've found that some birds that are not very good at being broody will get off the nest to join the others if they are around this behavior. The very best broodies take in very little food and water during all that time~if any~ and only get off the nest a few times to get rid of that broody plug.

 

[Beckie G]

They don't really need to, though us humans feel they should. If they have a nest out in the bush they don't locate it next to food and water. Most often it's in a brush pile somewhere and they don't move around much there so as to not attract predators. It's an instinctual behavior and a very good broody hardly ever comes off that nest. Their hormones slow down their metabolism and even control the blood flow to certain areas, whether that blood will hold nutrients or will not, all the while having a faster heart rate than a nonbroody hen. A broody hen is a miracle in design and cannot be matched for hatching efficiency. They don't actually need the food and water during these times if they have gone into the brood in good health. Forcing her off the nest is going against her instincts and her needs and compromising her hatch. She'll get off if she feels like it and will not starve there, nor die of dehydration. Her body is in a whole different mode than normal.

This is one reason I find broody hatches in a coop situation are not as good as if the hen is separated out into her own pen so there are no distractions and she doesn't have to see other hens eating and drinking. I've found that some birds that are not very good at being broody will get off the nest to join the others if they are around this behavior. The very best broodies take in very little food and water during all that time~if any~ and only get off the nest a few times to get rid of that broody plug.

Thank you so much, this is so helpful. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted.

I separated her when she went broody and put her in the quietest part of my house and she pretty much never moved on her own. One time she even pooped in the nest, we changed the nest out hence leading me to take her out everyday.

 

[Beekissed]

She sounds like a keeper...you'll have plenty of good hatches out of that girl.

What I do is just make food and water available and leave it up to the hen. A good broody is like gold in the bank, so you are quite fortunate.

 

[jonsccm]

I

They don't really need to, though us humans feel they should. If they have a nest out in the bush they don't locate it next to food and water.  Most often it's in a brush pile somewhere and they don't move around much there so as to not attract predators.  It's an instinctual behavior and a very good broody hardly ever comes off that nest.  Their hormones slow down their metabolism and even control the blood flow to certain areas, whether that blood will hold nutrients or will not, all the while having a faster heart rate than a nonbroody hen.  A broody hen is a miracle in design and cannot be matched for hatching efficiency.  They don't actually need the food and water during these times if they have gone into the brood in good health.  Forcing her off the nest is going against her instincts and her needs and compromising her hatch.  She'll get off if she feels like it and will not starve there, nor die of dehydration.  Her body is in a whole different mode than normal. 

This is one reason I find broody hatches in a coop situation are not as good as if the hen is separated out into her own pen so there are no distractions and she doesn't have to see other hens eating and drinking.  I've found that some birds that are not very good at being broody will get off the nest to join the others if they are around this behavior.   The very best broodies take in very little food and water during all that time~if any~ and only get off the nest a few times to get rid of that broody plug. 

I've been looking for a good explanation, this was great! Thank you!!!

 

[Allboutchickens]

I can't have roosters where I live so I don't get any fertile eggs. I've had a hen go broody before and it was so tempting to buy some fertile eggs for her to hatch. I'm suffering from "broody envy" over here.

 

[BellChell123]

They don't really need to, though us humans feel they should. If they have a nest out in the bush they don't locate it next to food and water. Most often it's in a brush pile somewhere and they don't move around much there so as to not attract predators. It's an instinctual behavior and a very good broody hardly ever comes off that nest. Their hormones slow down their metabolism and even control the blood flow to certain areas, whether that blood will hold nutrients or will not, all the while having a faster heart rate than a nonbroody hen. A broody hen is a miracle in design and cannot be matched for hatching efficiency. They don't actually need the food and water during these times if they have gone into the brood in good health. Forcing her off the nest is going against her instincts and her needs and compromising her hatch. She'll get off if she feels like it and will not starve there, nor die of dehydration. Her body is in a whole different mode than normal.

This is one reason I find broody hatches in a coop situation are not as good as if the hen is separated out into her own pen so there are no distractions and she doesn't have to see other hens eating and drinking. I've found that some birds that are not very good at being broody will get off the nest to join the others if they are around this behavior. The very best broodies take in very little food and water during all that time~if any~ and only get off the nest a few times to get rid of that broody plug.

This was really well written! Thank you!!