Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

sorry for asking loads of questions i just really want this to go right this time, In my broody shed i have a water bowl and a food bowl then theres her nest is that all i need? and then when the chicks hatch i will put a chick water and a chick feeder in there.

Thats all you need for now.

 

[Johnn]

Ok, will she need a dust bath in the shed or will she just do it when the wants to?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well land sakes my 3 mamas have all kinds of room to wander around with their chicks and what do they want to do FIGHT, this morning i had to break up a fight between Isabelle and Scarlett thank goodness they were fighting through chicken wire so they couldn't get to each others chicks. Crazy things. and then yesterday my Mama hen Macey had her 2 outside and she puffed up at our gander, well that doesn't set well with him so he grabbed her by the wing since she had them spread out I had to stop that one before she got hurt so this morning I had chickens spread front to back with the gander in his on space. My goodness I have to sit outside and watch them they are acting like kids. Oh and i have a duckling trying very hard to hatch under mama duck I am a nervous wreck waiting on this little one.

 

[Tripp16]

Well as you may know my Henrietta hatch 7 babies 3 weeks ago. She only has two since I sold the rest but she is starting to leave them in the run peeping and she isnt all fluffed up anymore she is actually hanging out with the hens a little more. She still protects the babies from the other hens just isnt as protective as before.

My bantam hen stayed with her chicks almost 5 weeks. These are only 3 weeks! Is this normal? If she lets them go by week 4 will the be feathered in enough to live on their own?

 

[Johnn]

Evemtually here comes my last question, well i hope so any ways, i have this louse powder http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/chicken-coops/poultry-louse-powder-750g/invt/0303738/ and it says it cant be put directley on the hen, so what should i do with it?

 

[Johnn]

It says "do not put directley on to pet"

 

[bobbieschicks]

Well land sakes my 3 mamas have all kinds of room to wander around with their chicks and what do they want to do FIGHT, this morning i had to break up a fight between Isabelle and Scarlett thank goodness they were fighting through chicken wire so they couldn't get to each others chicks. Crazy things. and then yesterday my Mama hen Macey had her 2 outside and she puffed up at our gander, well that doesn't set well with him so he grabbed her by the wing since she had them spread out I had to stop that one before she got hurt so this morning I had chickens spread front to back with the gander in his on space. My goodness I have to sit outside and watch them they are acting like kids. Oh and i have a duckling trying very hard to hatch under mama duck I am a nervous wreck waiting on this little one. :/

Maybe it's the weather. We've had super hot days lately and everyone is squabbling. Of course it's also too many cockerels here as Smokey's first clutch of cockerels is now old enough to sow their wild oats.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Well as you may know my Henrietta hatch 7 babies 3 weeks ago. She only has two since I sold the rest but she is starting to leave them in the run peeping and she isnt all fluffed up anymore she is actually hanging out with the hens a little more. She still protects the babies from the other hens just isnt as protective as before.

My bantam hen stayed with her chicks almost 5 weeks. These are only 3 weeks! Is this normal? If she lets them go by week 4 will the be feathered in enough to live on their own? 

Tripp are they LF or bantams? By 4 weeks Smokey all but abandoned her last clutch of LF chicks during the day. However they squeezed under her on the roost as needed at night. That was in cold weather. The current clutch of silkies are just about to turn 3 weeks old on Tuesdy and are doing fine because temps are very hot here.

They will be fine. She will keep them warm as needed even on the roost.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Tripp are they LF or bantams? By 4 weeks Smokey all but abandoned her last clutch of LF chicks during the day. However they squeezed under her on the roost as needed at night. That was in cold weather. The current clutch of silkies are just about to turn 3 weeks old on Tuesdy and are doing fine because temps are very hot here.
They will be fine. She will keep them warm as needed even on the roost.

Yep Scarlett was done pretty much by week 4. some hang on longer like my little E she still has hers with her and they are going on 9 weeks.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I heard a ruckous out side a while ago and thought Scarlett was attacking one of her chicks, it was a mouse and boy did she let it have what for, I guess it ran for it's like because I couldn't find it.