Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[grannychicken54]

I just read the answer to my questions a few post ago I was wondering if going broody was contagious because 1 of my hens went broody and then within 3 days there are 8 that are it seems like everyone wants to sit at the same time, we are out of room for egg laying. I also wanted to ask if anyone has ever had a chicken steal eggs I have a banty that is broody I put a big tomatoe cage around her and right next to her another hen is sitting and I caught the banty putting her head though the squares and getting eggs right out from under the other hen and pulling them through the wire and putting them under her I was looking for a snake because the eggs under the hen were disappering and I could not figure out where they were going until I saw banty stealing them.

 

[wescottwomen]

How long can I leave the eggs in the nest to try to get my hen broody before I take them and put them in an incubator

 

[Jharper]

A week for best results. You could replace then with golf balls. It's what I did and wasn't expecting a broody. I had cleaned out the best boxes and made sure thy realized that they neede to lay in there.

 

[wescottwomen]

A week for best results. You could replace then with golf balls. It's what I did and wasn't expecting a broody. I had cleaned out the best boxes and made sure thy realized that they neede to lay in there.

Thank you Guss ill shoot for wed. Should have a nice bunch by then

 

[bumpercarr]

I just read the answer to my questions a few post ago I was wondering if going broody was contagious because 1 of my hens went broody and then within 3 days there are 8 that are it seems like everyone wants to sit at the same time, we are out of room for egg laying. I also wanted to ask if anyone has ever had a chicken steal eggs I have a banty that is broody I put a big tomatoe cage around her and right next to her another hen is sitting and I caught the banty putting her head though the squares and getting eggs right out from under the other hen and pulling them through the wire and putting them under her I was looking for a snake because the eggs under the hen were disappering and I could not figure out where they were going until I saw banty stealing the eggs.

This story is hilarious! I haven't seen a broody steal eggs from another broody, but I haven't had two broody at the same time. It just made me laugh! I have pictures in my head of the banty looking all innocent until the other hen isn't looking and then reaching over and rolling one under her. Too funny.

 

[Kassaundra]

This story is hilarious! I haven't seen a broody steal eggs from another broody, but I haven't had two broody at the same time. It just made me laugh! I have pictures in my head of the banty looking all innocent until the other hen isn't looking and then reaching over and rolling one under her. Too funny.

LOL If it were me and I was sitting on a mess of soon to be kids I'd be sneaking the eggs I was sitting on under the chicken next to me!!!!

That banty chicken has it all wrong.

 

[Jharper]

Thank you Guss ill shoot for wed. Should have a nice bunch by then

Your welcome. I hope it works!

 

[Jharper]

My lead hen bumped my broody BA off the nest and she is anxious to get back to her golf balls! LOL!!

 

[countrygirl74]

LOL If it were me and I was sitting on a mess of soon to be kids I'd be sneaking the eggs I was sitting on under the chicken next to me!!!!

That banty chicken has it all wrong.

Today my Mom hen who is in a large dog carrier with straw came out at the doporway
I had opened the door to put in food
She came to the door and reached out to eat grass..
Then the 2 babies 2 days old hopped out .
I have some ranging adult birds and some 3 month old cockrels and an older cockrel maybe 5 months too that runs free. Is it safe to let them come out or do I need to FENCE a little grass area or just leave them all in the dog carrier and how long if so.? Will MOm come out if they are in?
She didnt seem to care they came out right next to her in the grass I put them back in though.
Also can I add some chicks who are about 4 days old under her?or is it too late.?

I never had any issues with any cockerels - they seem to enjoy taking on the fathering position. I even had a silkie cockerel that adopted a bunch of 2-week-old bantam cochins and let them sleep under him and everything. It's the older hens who are mean to the babies, but your mama hen will keep them away, so no worries.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I just read the answer to my questions a few post ago I was wondering if going broody was contagious because 1 of my hens went broody and then within 3 days there are 8 that are it seems like everyone wants to sit at the same time, we are out of room for egg laying. I also wanted to ask if anyone has ever had a chicken steal eggs I have a banty that is broody I put a big tomatoe cage around her and right next to her another hen is sitting and I caught the banty putting her head though the squares and getting eggs right out from under the other hen and pulling them through the wire and putting them under her I was looking for a snake because the eggs under the hen were disappering and I could not figure out where they were going until I saw banty stealing them.

I've had broodies steal eggs from other locations and carry them under their wings back to the nest. I caught one broody carrying a ping pong ball under her wing which she promptly dropped when I startled her.

My two broodies - Vanilla Ice and Shirley Jones - are both currently sitting on a nest of two eggs. They keep stealing them from under each other and usually Shirley Jones ends up with both under her by the end of the day. Not to worry, Vanilla Ice is content to sit next to the broody with eggs. She will co raise the chicks if any hatch next week.