Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Island Roo]

no, this just makes them stay broody. Put them into a wire cage with wire bottom so air passes through. It will take a few days then she will be cooled down and stop.

Thanks. So much for my good intentions.

I found this article on broodiness that filled in the blanks for me
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/05/broody-breaker-when-hens-mood-to-hatch.html

Sorry if this is a repeat - I haven't read all 1732 pages of this thread.

Out I go now to set up my broody breaker - in the dark.

 

[Island Roo]

That should cool their jets.
I put the 3 remaining broodies out in a small tractor with hardware wire floor. A protected place to perch but nowhere to nest. Its cool and bright.If that doesn't work I'll put a cage in the coop but it's not bright in there.

Here's the one with chicks - 2 more chicks hiding under mom.

 

[fisherlady]

I am completely new to the broody thing... I have been taking my silkie girl off every 24 hours. She fluffs up when I reach for her but doesn't protest at all. She immediately gives herself a dust bath, gets a drink and a few bites to eat, then goes back to the nest. Should I not do this or do you think she expects it now? I've been doing this for about a week. I don't see her off the nest at any other times.

Though if most likely isn't needed it isn't a problem if your bird tolerates it. We did the same with our silkie last winter because she'd been sitting quite a while and we had to make sure she kept her body weight/condition up, doing this gave us a good chance to assess her. She is a very calm bird and tolerates about anything. Once she got to around day 17 we left her alone because they do go into a 'lockdown' type mode toward the end of hatch to control humidity.
So basically, how much you mess with the broody is dependent on the tolerance of the bird. One of ours which is broody now we haven't bothered at all other than to lift her up a slight bit off of the nest to check for body weight and broody poo in the nest. The nest was clean so we know she is getting up some on her own and have left her alone. She is a ditzy bird and very nervous type, so I don't like to bother her.

 

[darkmatter]

I've got too many Chickens/eggs from letting the Broodies have their way last year, so I've been
collecting all the eggs every day. These two have been very insistent even without eggs to
set on. I could use a few more Guineas for property bug/tick patrol, so I've slipped some
Guinea eggs under these two. Guineas have a hard time raising keets in the Midwest
climate due to the morning dew causing hypothermia of the young keets in the grass. I've
had good success before with having Hens brood/hatch/raise keets since a Mother hen
will shelter the keets under her wings while a Guinea hen will not.

 

[bumpercarr]

Today, Winnie decided that it was time to take her chick out into the free range world. Here is a picture of her with her little brood. So far, no problems with the other hens or the rooster. She keeps them out of the way and the rest of the flock pretty much ignore her and her chicks.

 

[Johnn]

She is still very broody!, She better not give up before Saturday!:

 

[Johnn]

Today, Winnie decided that it was time to take her chick out into the free range world. Here is a picture of her with her little brood. So far, no problems with the other hens or the rooster. She keeps them out of the way and the rest of the flock pretty much ignore her and her chicks.

 

[Johnn]

That should cool their jets.
I put the 3 remaining broodies out in a small tractor with hardware wire floor. A protected place to perch but nowhere to nest. Its cool and bright.If that doesn't work I'll put a cage in the coop but it's not bright in there.

Here's the one with chicks - 2 more chicks hiding under mom.

Pretty mama!

 

[countrygirl74]

Though if most likely isn't needed it isn't a problem if your bird tolerates it. We did the same with our silkie last winter because she'd been sitting quite a while and we had to make sure she kept her body weight/condition up, doing this gave us a good chance to assess her. She is a very calm bird and tolerates about anything. Once she got to around day 17 we left her alone because they do go into a 'lockdown' type mode toward the end of hatch to control humidity.
So basically, how much you mess with the broody is dependent on the tolerance of the bird. One of ours which is broody now we haven't bothered at all other than to lift her up a slight bit off of the nest to check for body weight and broody poo in the nest. The nest was clean so we know she is getting up some on her own and have left her alone. She is a ditzy bird and very nervous type, so I don't like to bother her.

Thanks for the info! That's what I was concerned about - watching her weight... she's such a tiny thing already. She is VERY tolerant so I will probably still put her out every 24-36 hours just to be sure but I appreciate the "lockdown" info, at which time I will leave her be.

 

[Johnn]

I've got too many Chickens/eggs from letting the Broodies have their way last year, so I've been
collecting all the eggs every day. These two have been very insistent even without eggs to
set on. I could use a few more Guineas for property bug/tick patrol, so I've slipped some
Guinea eggs under these two. Guineas have a hard time raising keets in the Midwest
climate due to the morning dew causing hypothermia of the young keets in the grass. I've
had good success before with having Hens brood/hatch/raise keets since a Mother hen
will shelter the keets under her wings while a Guinea hen will not.

Post pics if they hatch!