Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[ApplestoApples]

for the record broody's are the traditional way and raising them by hand is the modern way

Sorry if that was confusing. I have to convince my mom to get a silkie now since I have fallen in love.

 

[Pozees]

  for the record broody's are the traditional way and raising them by hand is the modern way 

True! My ideal incubator would be a row of broody houses and runs. I even saw one in a dream one night!

 

[stonykill]

Sorry if that was confusing. I have to convince my mom to get a silkie now since I have fallen in love.

no confusion

. Just clarifying

 

[Miss Lydia]

True! My ideal incubator would be a row of broody houses and runs. I even saw one in a dream one night!

I love my bantams they will go broody at the site of an egg, only problem is then I have to add more nest boxes because they take over the ones I have for my egg layers.

I have a small coop that i use for a broody house but it will only hold 2 broodys being split down the middle. A designated Broody house would be awesome.

 

[cluckcluckluke]

I love my bantams they will go broody at the site of an egg, only problem is then I have to add more nest boxes because they take over the ones I have for my egg layers.

I have a small coop that i use for a broody house but it will only hold 2 broodys being split down the middle. A designated Broody house would be awesome.

But all the broody's Ive had when they choose a nest that's it, they wont go onto any other nest.

 

[cluckcluckluke]

How can i push my broody's right into full time dedication, at the moment i have a Bantam broody(RIR) and a standard broody(Black Sex-Link) and they will sit on the nest a be all aggressive for like half a day then just come off at around lunch time and the not go back on till either late in the afternoon like 6:00pm or wait until the next morning to turn back into aggressive mothers.

 

[Lacy Blues]

I've had success moving a broody by building a wooden box with a door on hinges and a lock.

I'll get the box all set up where I want it, then get the hen and move her, put her in, put eggs under her and lock the door. This is done at night while she cannot see. I leave her locked in the box until the next evening. Then I just open the door. She can come out when she's ready. She has her own fenced off area so no other hens can toss her off the nest and add eggs to her collection. It won't hurt her to be locked in for 24 hours, or even 36 (letting her out the following morning) as they usually subject themselves to starvation anyway.

If I had a designated broody coop, I just wouldn't have to do the set up part. I'd just pop her into her new box and lock the door for a while.

 

[cluckcluckluke]

I've had success moving a broody by building a wooden box with a door on hinges and a lock.
I'll get the box all set up where I want it, then get the hen and move her, put her in, put eggs under her and lock the door. This is done at night while she cannot see. I leave her locked in the box until the next evening. Then I just open the door. She can come out when she's ready. She has her own fenced off area so no other hens can toss her off the nest and add eggs to her collection. It won't hurt her to be locked in for 24 hours, or even 36 (letting her out the following morning) as they usually subject themselves to starvation anyway.
If I had a designated broody coop, I just wouldn't have to do the set up part. I'd just pop her into her new box and lock the door for a while.

That is a marvelous idea, it's going to be a holiday project.

 

[Miss Lydia]

But all the broody's Ive had when they choose a nest that's it, they wont go onto any other nest.

I will let them have the nest they have chose, then close to hatch day I take them nest box and all out to the broody coop and tuck them in for the hatch , I use to leave them inside the coop through the whole process but have you ever had 3-4 hens with chicks trying to get outside in the morning? not a pretty site. not here anyway. lol I also had another house that I used for broodies too but it has become a goose house so these girls are going to have to wait their turns this year, only 2 broodies at a time. lol

 

[bobbieschicks]

How can i push my broody's right into full time dedication, at the moment i have a Bantam broody(RIR) and a standard broody(Black Sex-Link) and they will sit on the nest a be all aggressive for like half a day then just come off at around lunch time and the not go back on till either late in the afternoon like 6:00pm or wait until the next morning to turn back into aggressive mothers.

When you figure that one out - let the rest of us know LOL. I tried to push my Smokey to go broody over the summer when I had shipped eggs and she did it when she wanted to and not on my schedule.

If they aren't staying in the nest box enough to keep the eggs warm I'd just give them fakes and leave them to their own schedule until Spring. They might be practicing or they might just be taking a long time to lay. You really can't force a broody. You can encourage her by giving her eggs to sit on and leaving her to do it - but nothing will make a girl go broody unless her body is ready to do so. And she's not really broody if she isn't hanging around that nest box hatching those eggs.

I wouldn't take the chance right now in VA with a broody who isn't willing to stay on the nest at night since our weather is dropping to the 30Fs. But if she'll stay all night long on the nest, then I would let her sit on fakes for about 3 days to make sure she's serious. Once I'm sure she's serious I'd move fertile eggs under her and let her have her desire to hatch. She'll keep them warm enough in our winter weather to give them a good chance at surviving.