Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Johnn]

perhaps she wanted fresh running water

I would have had to wish her good look on that!, she couldn't reach it with out getting in!!, it's hard to gether to come with the chicks for food, you can tell she is hungry and wants some but she dosen't want to bring the chicks to me :/, which is mean (i know it's because she sees me as a threat), if it wasn't for me she wouldn't have those chicks in the first place!

 

[bobbieschicks]

I got my first baby!! A little EE!! And squeaking from other eggs! BUT since it's 9:00 at night, I can't take any pics. There'll be some tomorrow!

Yeah!

Can't wait to see pics!

 

[aoxa]

Oh, i thaught it was 8 weeks they started rejecting them and do the not still need warmth? and i didnt take her babies?

That's what I would think.. 3 week old babies would not like our 50 degree nights My hens rejected them around 5 weeks - 8 weeks. My rooster is a better father than they are mothers I have a lot of co-parenting going on. My hens seem to go broody in pairs.

Lorraine & Pearl

Marge & Flora Mae and now Lorraine is broody again with my RIR Ruby Craziness!! Just because it's cute... My roo Steve LOVES his babies. He was in with them in the broody coop since they were a week old.

I just love this one

 

[Haloclimb]

I can hear the egg under her chirping! Hopefully I'll wake up to a little chick in the morning

 

[Johnn]

That's what I would think.. 3 week old babies would not like our 50 degree nights

My hens rejected them around 5 weeks - 8 weeks. My rooster is a better father than they are mothers

I have a lot of co-parenting going on. My hens seem to go broody in pairs.

Lorraine & Pearl

Marge & Flora Mae
and now Lorraine is broody again with my RIR Ruby

Craziness!!
Just because it's cute... My roo Steve LOVES his babies. He was in with them in the broody coop since they were a week old.

I just love this one

aww there so cute!, is the first chick a cuckoo maran? and we never get days that are 50 degrees!, more like -50, its England!

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

I would have had to wish her good look on that!, she couldn't reach it with out getting in!!, it's hard to gether to come with the chicks for food, you can tell she is hungry and wants some but she dosen't want to bring the chicks to me :/, which is mean (i know it's because she sees me as a threat), if it wasn't for me she wouldn't have those chicks in the first place!

sometimes it's hard to figure out what will upset a broody...some are so tame I guess they don't mind people around...mine do. If she sees you as a threat she's likely trying to move the chicks far far away..she doesn't see things like you do! As far as she's concerned they're hers and you wouldn't have them without her! I have one more broody sitting and I guess she got excited with all the peeps she was hearing (from another hatch)so after her break she went and sat on the wrong nest. She didn't mind me putting her on the right nest. Try telling Moe I'm the good guy when she laces into me while I'm tossing out food....hey Moe! Stop! I'm the feeder not the the enemy!! I've begun to stand my ground more when I do my chores because I'm running out of steri strips from the broody w/chicks attacks...enough! You know what I'm talking about!?

 

[3 NH reds]

It is day 19 here and I can't wait. This is an EBay batch of eggs and I am not sure when to expect the hatch. Using on of my Buff Orpingtons to hatch 12 of them 6 are in the incubator. Had to put my other Orpington back in the layer coop and take her away from her chicks. Hated to do it but I could see fights if I left her in with the other Mom. Now she is lonely and the other layers are chasing her around I guess to establish the pecking order but she was only one for7 weeks.

 

[aoxa]

 aww there so cute!, is the first chick a cuckoo maran? and we never get days that are 50 degrees!, more like -50, its England!

I mean Fahrenheit. It gets to 15 at night here in Canada in the summer. In the winter we can get up to -40 with wind chill.

Nope the first is a Wyandotte x Barred Rock mix.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

I think I need another coop! That would solve all my space issues! One coop just for roosting and everybody else, and one coop just for broodies and chicks. I read thread on how to 'break a broody' and think...why on earth would you want to do that?

 

[aoxa]

I think I need another coop! That would solve all my space issues! One coop just for roosting and everybody else, and one coop just for broodies and chicks. I read thread on how to 'break a broody' and think...why on earth would you want to do that?

You'd want to do that if it is winter and it wouldn't be safe (at least here in January it would be dangerous!) or if they were a known bad mother or if you don't have a rooster to fertilize eggs and don't want to hatch any chicks (say you are in an urban setting with max # of hens). Lots of reasons! Not that I'd ever do it. I feel like I'm breaking their spirit lol.