Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Johnn]

Haha Johnn that Aspargus needs to learn who is boss!

I chatted with Topsy's new mom and she is doing great along with Fluffy. They are both laying although Topsy keeps trying to go stay on the nest. Lol! I warned her that Topsy LOVES to go broody.

In my coop I have the lovely young Splash Copper Maran Bunny sitting on her nest for the second night in a row. She laid another egg today. She now has 4 Maran, 1 green EE, and 1 WL egg under her. I'll let her hatch those if she wants to. No telling what they would be if they hatched as I've had a Partridge Silky and a Maran Roo around here mating all the girls.

I know he does!, hopefully its just him being hormonal. Do you think Topsy's new owner will let her hatch out??

 

[dretd]

After reading the latest I am kinda concerned....My broody is the lowest on the totem pole. She is much smaller than my wyandottes so really probably will not be able to defend herself or the chicks. I posted earlier that the wyandottes were going in a pecking my broody on the comb and making her leave the nest. So I seperated a small space with a nest box and moved her eggs. She is happy in there and things are going well. Now I am concerned that when the chicks hatch the wyandottes are going to go after the chicks. Will the rooster defend his offspring and help out my new mother? I also have 4 week old chicks from TSC growing up in a box in my garage. I took them out and let them run around in a large pen a few times while my grown flock was ranging. They came over and checked out the chicks with no reaction really. So I took one of the chicks and put it down in the coop, the adults came in to check it out, the rooster attempted to peck him so I picked him up right quick. Is this how he will probably behave toward his own chicks being hatched? Would my broody possiblly accept the 4 week old chicks in with her own? I am considering building a small shelter onto my range pen and putting the 4 week old chicks in there until they are big enough to range with the flock. Never done this before so I have no idea what to expect.

Last year I let one of my hens hatch some eggs--my first attenpt with a broody. She was also on the low end of the peck order. I screened off one bank of nest boxes to hatch the chicks so they were separated, and that bank opens to the yard where I let the chickens free range. I put up a fence to keep everyone separate but after a few days the chicks discovered they could sneak around so I took it down. The regular flock accepted the little ones and the hen with no problem. Although on the low end, she was never bullied by the others, so if yours gets bullied you may need to keep them separated. I think for me a huge key was that they had plenty of elbow room to get away if there was a problem--my back yard is very roomy. I would worry if they were confined to a small run where there is no place to hide. Everyone needs space.

The difference with your ones you are raising in the brooder is they are from an outside flock and there is no peck order established yet. You will definitely need to have them in a separate area where the main flock can see them and get used to them before a slow introduction with plenty of space.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Thanks so much for your suggestions.
I am very nervous about hatching eggs but hopefully it will go well. 
Any suggesitons on how to keep the chickens from eating the chick feed? 

Good luck on that one. I've never had success keeping the older ones from eating the chick feed. I get non-medicated or grower feed and that works fine.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I know he does!, hopefully its just him being hormonal. Do you think Topsy's new owner will let her hatch out??

She mentioned something to that. She said "when" so I think yes.

 

[gg706]

Last year I let one of my hens hatch some eggs--my first attenpt with a broody. She was also on the low end of the peck order. I screened off one bank of nest boxes to hatch the chicks so they were separated, and that bank opens to the yard where I let the chickens free range. I put up a fence to keep everyone separate but after a few days the chicks discovered they could sneak around so I took it down. The regular flock accepted the little ones and the hen with no problem. Although on the low end, she was never bullied by the others, so if yours gets bullied you may need to keep them separated. I think for me a huge key was that they had plenty of elbow room to get away if there was a problem--my back yard is very roomy. I would worry if they were confined to a small run where there is no place to hide. Everyone needs space.

The difference with your ones you are raising in the brooder is they are from an outside flock and there is no peck order established yet. You will definitely need to have them in a separate area where the main flock can see them and get used to them before a slow introduction with plenty of space.

Thank You for the info I have changed my plans a little as you said they need to see each other but be seperate. I sectioned off half of the roosting area with plans to put the TSC chicks in there as soon as it is warm enough and then take them to the tractor run it is 10'X10" during the day and let them run around and then back to the roost area to sleep. Then put them all together free ranging when the chicks are big enough. I am not going to be able to keep them all , I am going to have to make choices on who stays and who goes. So I am sure that will upset the order again....ugh! Not sure why I do this to myself! Would having them roost together but seperated help the pecking order issue? She doesnt really get bullied in regular flock life. The wyandottes will peck her to get her food or something that she has if they want it but she is faster so she just runs with the food until they give up. She refused to leave her nest, so they got nasty! I wanted to wring their necks! They normally free range all day everyday on 2.5 fenced acres so I am hoping things will go well. I think I am done purchasing outside chicks.
If she is sucessful at brooding I will just let her hatch out chicks as needed.

 

[dretd]

Thank You for the info I have changed my plans a little as you said they need to see each other but be seperate. I sectioned off half of the roosting area with plans to put the TSC chicks in there as soon as it is warm enough and then take them to the tractor run it is 10'X10" during the day and let them run around and then back to the roost area to sleep. Then put them all together free ranging when the chicks are big enough. I am not going to be able to keep them all , I am going to have to make choices on who stays and who goes. So I am sure that will upset the order again....ugh! Not sure why I do this to myself! Would having them roost together but seperated help the pecking order issue? She doesnt really get bullied in regular flock life. The wyandottes will peck her to get her food or something that she has if they want it but she is faster so she just runs with the food until they give up. She refused to leave her nest, so they got nasty! I wanted to wring their necks! They normally free range all day everyday on 2.5 fenced acres so I am hoping things will go well. I think I am done purchasing outside chicks.
If she is sucessful at brooding I will just let her hatch out chicks as needed.

One thing that surprised me is that the free range broody chicks grew so much faster than ones I've raised inside in a brooder. I figured it was all of the fresh air and exercise they get. Not to mention they pick at all sorts of stuff so they are probably getting trace minerals and such that are good for them but not included in their regular crumbles. I don't think I'll ever go back to the home brooder. It was such a pleasure to watch the chicks and hen and it was soooo much easier!

 

[gg706]

I am so glad to hear that! It will be interesting to compare, having the TSC chicks fresh on my memory. I like raising chicks, my husband does not appreciate it much though! I have really enjoyed watching her setting on and tending to her nest. I have never seen an egg hatch so hopefully she will allow us to be spectators in a small way. Either way I am sure seeing a mother care for her chicks is quite an experience. I am hopeful the eggs were fertile, if they do not hatch it is not because of the broody, so far she has been VERY dedicated! I tried candling them them and cant see anything they seemed dark though so maybe they are just further along and my timing is off. ???? Either way I figure I will let her go 25 days and if nothing by then, I will worry about what to do.

 

[FirewifeJess]

Just a reminder to check your broodies for mites. I noticed blood (a big quantity for a chicken!) in the nest with Lucy and the chicks. Checked Lucy over well and never found a mite but found definite egg sacs alllllll over her bum feathers. I guess housing a broody in the dirt in the covered run was a bad idea, but she woudln't move anywhere else Now I have to bathe the darn chicks and retreat Lucy with Eprinex in 10 days

 

[bobbieschicks]

Just a reminder to check your broodies for mites. I noticed blood (a big quantity for a chicken!) in the nest with Lucy and the chicks. Checked Lucy over well and never found a mite but found definite egg sacs alllllll over her bum feathers. I guess housing a broody in the dirt in the covered run was a bad idea, but she woudln't move anywhere else   Now I have to bathe the darn chicks and retreat Lucy with Eprinex in 10 days

Use wood ashes and dust them with those. It will kill the bugs.

 

[FirewifeJess]

Quote:
I have some I just cleaned out! How do I do that with wiggly babies? They're 4.5-6 weeks old; 4 of them. Thinking....put some in a ziploc and zip the bird in the bag up to its' neck...shake shake shake? LOL!