Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bobbieschicks]

Ok maybe I'll try it but not sure if I want to risk it. It seems she's doing fine in the main coop. The other hens leave her alone. This morning when I opened the door to the run she went out with the others which worried me. But then shortly she returned to her nest. Is this normal behavior?

Perfectly normal. I have Bunny in the main coop in a preferred nest box. So far she's still broody.

Topsy hatched her last brood in the same nest box without trouble.

 

[Johnn]

You are good t remembering

yes she's sitting on ping pong balls right now. Her six Rhodes Island Reds are due here either Monday or Tuesday. I'm hoping she will stay broody until then.

I had hoped Smokey would go broody and give them both three chicks, but no such thing has happened. She isn't interested right now..

Is she getting chicks or eggs?

 

[Sterl18]

Hi,

This is my first post on BYC and I apologize if this has been asked/answered already. And sorry for the abrupt intrusion without previous introduction. I hope this is the right place/way to post this.

I have a little flock of 5 BO's. At one time or more they have all gone broody this winter. This spring Blue when broody and I just could not break her. She was so determined to brood, I finally ordered some EE eggs for her. USPS was rough with the box and after a week we had a few starters. With all the shipped egg stories I've read on BYC, I had my doubts, but one egg successfully hatched. As soon as the chick hatched it started squirming out from under the broody. She started pecking at it - not a "you need to stay under there" roll she did with the eggs, but pecks. It was after the chick made a terrible squeal that I called it and grabbed him/her out of there. Blue never made an attempt to peck at me for grabbing the chick, she just pushed the eggshell back underneath her and firmly settled herself on the broken shells and calmed right down.

Once the eggs started peeping, she was cooing and talking to the eggs periodically as she checked on them, it was cool to see and I thought it was a sign of a good mama. Maybe being a newbie at this, I completely misinterpreted her behavior when that egg hatched and I acted too fast, but the noise that chick made was awful. I felt mean, but had to move Blue out of the dog crate to set up a brooder box. Once she was removed from her nest she went nuts. Cluck cluck cluck. Broody wing feathers. So convincingly mama-like that after the brooder was set up we brought her over to the chick and held him/her up for her to see. The chick heard Blue and was all excited running over to the door. She cluck cluck clucked then "raptored" her neck feathers and lunged at the chick through the door. So much for that experiment.

I know I've read about some situations where people successfully sneak chicks under a hen at night, but I'm too afraid to try that. I've also read where people move their broody hatched chicks to a brooder and the hen carries on with non broody hen life. Of course I'm projecting here, but Blue is acting like I've torn her heart out for taking this chick. And I have one chick in the brooder and it looks so lonely!

Sorry this is so long. I'd like to learn from this. What should I have done differently? How long does it take for a broody to, ummm, de-brood? I've done a ton of reading on BYC since these eggs were set, but I still feel clueless!!

 

[Johnn]

Hi,

This is my first post on BYC and I apologize if this has been asked/answered already. And sorry for the abrupt intrusion without previous introduction. I hope this is the right place/way to post this.

I have a little flock of 5 BO's. At one time or more they have all gone broody this winter. This spring Blue when broody and I just could not break her. She was so determined to brood, I finally ordered some EE eggs for her. USPS was rough with the box and after a week we had a few starters. With all the shipped egg stories I've read on BYC, I had my doubts, but one egg successfully hatched. As soon as the chick hatched it started squirming out from under the broody. She started pecking at it - not a "you need to stay under there" roll she did with the eggs, but pecks. It was after the chick made a terrible squeal that I called it and grabbed him/her out of there. Blue never made an attempt to peck at me for grabbing the chick, she just pushed the eggshell back underneath her and firmly settled herself on the broken shells and calmed right down.

Once the eggs started peeping, she was cooing and talking to the eggs periodically as she checked on them, it was cool to see and I thought it was a sign of a good mama. Maybe being a newbie at this, I completely misinterpreted her behavior when that egg hatched and I acted too fast, but the noise that chick made was awful. I felt mean, but had to move Blue out of the dog crate to set up a brooder box. Once she was removed from her nest she went nuts. Cluck cluck cluck. Broody wing feathers. So convincingly mama-like that after the brooder was set up we brought her over to the chick and held him/her up for her to see. The chick heard Blue and was all excited running over to the door. She cluck cluck clucked then "raptored" her neck feathers and lunged at the chick through the door. So much for that experiment.

I know I've read about some situations where people successfully sneak chicks under a hen at night, but I'm too afraid to try that. I've also read where people move their broody hatched chicks to a brooder and the hen carries on with non broody hen life. Of course I'm projecting here, but Blue is acting like I've torn her heart out for taking this chick. And I have one chick in the brooder and it looks so lonely!

Sorry this is so long. I'd like to learn from this. What should I have done differently? How long does it take for a broody to, ummm, de-brood? I've done a ton of reading on BYC since these eggs were set, but I still feel clueless!!

What I would have done differently is not have took the chick out as quick, when my BO's first chick hatched, I took it out from underneath her then when I put it back she started pecking it, at first I thought she was attacking it but in the end she was just protective and it was her way of making it go back under.

 

[Sterl18]

What I would have done differently is not have took the chick out as quick, when my BO's first chick hatched, I took it out from underneath her then when I put it back she started pecking it, at first I thought she was attacking it but in the end she was just protective and it was her way of making it go back under.

Yeah, thought of that. She seemed to be focusing on getting the shell back under her and it was like this chick was in her way. When the chick shrieked I panicked. The other egg that almost hatched was going to town zipping and it's toes got it's yolk sac. It drowned. This was the last opportunity for a live chick and I panicked.

 

[Johnn]

Yeah, thought of that. She seemed to be focusing on getting the shell back under her and it was like this chick was in her way. When the chick shrieked I panicked. The other egg that almost hatched was going to town zipping and it's toes got it's yolk sac. It drowned. This was the last opportunity for a live chick and I panicked.

We all make mistakes, don't be hard on yourself!

 

[Johnn]

Ok, its officially day 20. Wish me luck! I really, really need it! Lets hope I get adleast one

. I'm using my own eggs again and the last 80 I put under broodies of my own didn't hatch.

 

[JodyDI]

FIRST TIME Success!! My Cuckoo Maran became broody over 4 weeks ago, got 8 fertile eggs, put under her, had to move on day 3, she went to a different nest, not sure how long she was gone, but the eggs were cool. Put her in a pen where she couldn't get out. didn't do much, I was gone for a week. Tuesday, I had 6 that hatched live. 1 not fertile, 1 didn't survive the hatch. She actually left one half cracked and it had cooled down when I got home. I quickly put it in an incubator, in less than an hour it popped out!! Snuck it back under her at dark, She's fine they are fine. I've got her in an enclosed pen. eventually I will need to move her.
This is the golden maran ( I think). the rest are black, Black copper marans, and he gave me some mixed, trying to get olive eggers. this is the one we saved, cuz momma rejected her after 5 had hatched. Shes very strong! (i'm calling her a she tee hee hee.)

 

[bumpercarr]

So, broody silkie mix, first time brooder, has hatched 3 out of an original 10. 2 were broken by being pushed out of the nest on day 18 (I think they were moving and it scared her). She left the nest this morning with her chicks and isn't going back, so her eggs are either not viable? or not fertilized? or maybe she is just happy after hatching 3? I really don't know as it is the first experience for both of us. She sat on the eggs for about 3 days after hatching the first chick, I suppose she thinks she is done, which she is by my estimation. Does anyone have any opinions?

 

[Pennoppom]

My first broody was broody since right after Christmas, tried to break her, finally gave her some eggs & she hatched all 8!
I fed her scrambled eggs, developer feed, and electrolytes & vitamins in her water.
She looks great now,& very happy as a proud momma!
I would get her some chicks!!

Welp, I just couldn't break her! (I didn't try the wire bottom cage or anything, just taking her off and taking eggs away). I just bought her some chicks (2 buff rocks and a SLW) so I'll get them under her tonight. I hope she takes them and raises them, 'cause if she doesn't I'm gonna lose my mind