Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[OHfarmerswife]

I wouldn't risk the layer food. You already know about the calcium issue.  

But I wouldn't give them just corn either. The grower food is really better. It has lots of protein for their growing bodies and the big girls can eat it too. You never know if they are getting enough of the vital things they need when they are free ranging. 

Just my 2 cents. 

X 2

 

[lawatt]

Put some Nustock on the wound and keep an eye on the little one. It could have injured itself on the wire or something else could have tried to hurt it. I would bet it wasn't another chicken.

they are inside a wire (straight/smooth wire about 1"x2") exclosure inside the main run of the coop, so nothing could get at it but other chickens -- but hoping this is just a weird isolated incident -- possibly it poked its head through the wire and the other broody mama thought she needed to rescue it & tried to pull it through? not sure...

but thanks!

 

[bumpercarr]

I think I have a pretty silly question, but I'm worried and need to ask it. I took all of the layers crumbles away from the hens and put out starter feed for everyone to eat once the chicks hatched. Now I'm worried because I see the chicks and Momma scratching around for food and I'm sure that there are some crumbles left on the ground. What should I watch for to see if this is hurting them? I could try to rake it all up, but I think I'd still miss a lot of it. It never/rarely rains in New Mexico, so food that is thrown out of the feeder stays on the ground for a long, long time.

 

[myby]

I had the same problem of a chick last july. I did not survive. The rest of the chicks did. We blamed the rooster for the attack.

 

[kannna]

That's a toughie. Too much calcium can build up in the chicks system and cause liver damage. However, if the food on the ground is broken down ......do you have a dirt floor? Maybe u could just scoop up the area with a shovel. As long as u get the majority it should be fine.

 

[myby]

coyotesmommy, i do have also hatching day on sunday. two broodies, one with 4 eggs, other with 7. Today, one baby chick - pullet I belive, hatched of the 7. And I think its is a Buff Orpington
My two broodies are a Black and a Splash Cochin, hatched here by their Blue Cochin mother. the hens are in separate coops because Joy, the Splash Cochin, is a bully to my Dome, the other Cochin.

 

[renstar]

Question, i have about 3 days before our eggs are due to hatch. I have decided for the safety of the chicks i will seperate broody hen from the other chooks. What i want to know is when should i do this??? I have a nice little hutch set up that is secure and safe for the hen and the little ones. Should i settle the broody hen in there now before the eggs hatch or wait until they have arrived?? HELP!

 

[Nike]

Hi! I just have seperated by broodies too. What I did was moved them at night and brought their eggs with them. It seemed to work moving them at night because I tried twice during the day and they wouldn't set.

 

[coyotesmommy]

coyotesmommy, i do have also hatching day on sunday. two broodies, one with 4 eggs, other with 7. Today, one baby chick - pullet I belive, hatched of the 7. And I think its is a Buff Orpington
My two broodies are a Black and a Splash Cochin, hatched here by their Blue Cochin mother. the hens are in separate coops because Joy, the Splash Cochin, is a bully to my Dome, the other Cochin.

that is probably a good idea to have them separate most mommas would probably try to kill the chicks of others just because law of the jungle. So the one that hatched was it pit in earlier than the others?

 

[coyotesmommy]

dang it, my broody broke another egg. She broke one about 10 days ago but this one was 18 days old only 3 days to go!