Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Tabatha]

my orpy hen went broody 2 days ago and is stealing all of our eating eggs.

 

[Tabatha]

And here's my phoenix hen sitting on I don't know what for I don't know how long. I just got her last week and she was already sitting on these. Gonna candle them tonight.

☆I think she is a ghost chicken because I can upload any pic from my phone I want, but have to take screen shots of her pics before they will upload. SPOOKY!

 

[Sydney Acres]

I just feed 1 type of feed, either chick or layer, to all birds. Its a cost factor, either use higher protein chick feed, hoping it doesn't make egg production slack off, or layer and the chicks slow growth by a small margin. They don't need the extra calcium like layers do. If they range they will even out diet as they need themselves. Otherwise I think you would have to keep broodies w/chicks separated from main flock to keep feed from being eaten by all birds. Unless you want to get constructive and build a chick "creep feeder". Something where only small chicks can enter and get the feed you put in there. This however might cause Mama's to call chicks away if SHE cannot reach feed therefor decide chicks can't get to it either.

I would not feel comfortable feeding layer diet to a rapidly growing bird. The calciumhosphorus ratio in layer food doesn't develop bones properly, so there can be both poor growth and long term skeletal issues, decreased elasticity of the tendons and ligaments, sometimes abnormal organ development due to microscopic soft tissue mineralization, plus the protein levels are less than ideal. It might not be a big deal for some people if their chicks grow a little slower, and it just takes a few more weeks to get to slaughter weight (although that's a lot of wasted food, which is expensive). But it's a huge deal if you're breeding purebreds, with the intention of raising long-lived and healthy breeding stock, or if you're raising birds for pets. Chick food is fine to feed to the broody, as she's not laying eggs while the chicks are really young. For flocks with both chicks, broodies, layers, and roosters all mixed together, an excellent solution is to feed either a chick diet or a general flockraiser diet, which are typically 18-20% protein and no excessive calcium, but also provide oyster shells for the laying hens. Typically the layers crave the oyster shells, and the chicks and rooster don't, so everyone gets what they need nutritionally.

All the bags of layer diet that I've ever seen, regardless of brand, all warn to not feed to birds under 18 weeks old.

 

[Yogalicia]

Hello! I have just realized over the last few days that my Australorp is very broody. Today I ordered 9 fertile eggs (giving 3 to a friend with a broody) and am reading and learning as much as possible. Very excited! Planning to move mama after the chicks hatch to a smaller pen within the run. She is being a pain in the big coop, however. The other girls are not laying as much or are laying on the floor since she is being a meanie and a hog.

 

[joyfulkeeper]

Hatching should commence in the next couple of days! So excited!

Ms Broody-butt

 

[bumpercarr]

I would not feel comfortable feeding layer diet to a rapidly growing bird. The calciumhosphorus ratio in layer food doesn't develop bones properly, so there can be both poor growth and long term skeletal issues, decreased elasticity of the tendons and ligaments, sometimes abnormal organ development due to microscopic soft tissue mineralization, plus the protein levels are less than ideal. It might not be a big deal for some people if their chicks grow a little slower, and it just takes a few more weeks to get to slaughter weight (although that's a lot of wasted food, which is expensive). But it's a huge deal if you're breeding purebreds, with the intention of raising long-lived and healthy breeding stock, or if you're raising birds for pets. Chick food is fine to feed to the broody, as she's not laying eggs while the chicks are really young. For flocks with both chicks, broodies, layers, and roosters all mixed together, an excellent solution is to feed either a chick diet or a general flockraiser diet, which are typically 18-20% protein and no excessive calcium, but also provide oyster shells for the laying hens. Typically the layers crave the oyster shells, and the chicks and rooster don't, so everyone gets what they need nutritionally.

All the bags of layer diet that I've ever seen, regardless of brand, all warn to not feed to birds under 18 weeks old.

I personally don't feed layer at all either. I give them flock raiser with oyster shell on the side for any that need/want it. I mainly keep them on that high protein diet because I raise brahmas, they take about 18 months to mature. I do have to watch their weight though, it is easy for them to gain too much weight. I guess I should qualify by saying I put everyone on chick starter when I have chicks under 6 weeks old with them, but move to flock raiser after they are weaned.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Hello! I have just realized over the last few days that my Australorp is very broody. Today I ordered 9 fertile eggs (giving 3 to a friend with a broody) and am reading and learning as much as possible. Very excited! Planning to move mama after the chicks hatch to a smaller pen within the run. She is being a pain in the big coop, however. The other girls are not laying as much or are laying on the floor since she is being a meanie and a hog.

Do you only have one nest? Most broodies want privacy. Things might improve both for the broody and the other hens if she were moved out of the coop. If you read this thread back over the last 2-4 weeks, there are numerous posts about how to move a broody. Alternatively, you can fashion a private area for her within the coop. Fisherlady has posted numerous times about how to set up an in-coop veranda to make a broody feel more secure. She is not trying to be difficult. She is just trying to defend her nest. Instinct tells her that the survival of her babies depends on it. Everything will improve when she feels that her nest is safe.

 

[Yogalicia]

Oh, I know she means no harm. There are 3 side-by-side nests and she's in the first one. I'd like to move her but have read so many things about them not sitting anymore after the move I've been worried about doing it. I will read over the last two weeks. I have a nice quiet private nesting area in the separate pen I am setting up which I would much rather have her in. Thanks

 

[mystonedgarden]

So my EE chick has pasty butt, but shes eating and drinking perfectly. I sat in the bathroom for almost a whole hour just watching my chicks, Im obsessed I know. The EE was put with my other chicks, theyre only a week older but theyre bantams so theyre only a bit bigger. They did a great job of calming her down and I walked in there once and they were all sleeping together right outside of the heat lamp area. Her belly is filled and shes no longer trembling like she was this morning, but the pasty butt is what worries me. I keep the area clean and I added electrolytes to the water, of course I have another one with just plain water. Im just going to keep an eye on her for another day just incase. Thank You everybody! Yall are awesome.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Oh, I know she means no harm. There are 3 side-by-side nests and she's in the first one. I'd like to move her but have read so many things about them not sitting anymore after the move I've been worried about doing it. I will read over the last two weeks. I have a nice quiet private nesting area in the separate pen I am setting up which I would much rather have her in. Thanks

Wow, time flies by. It's actually been over a month since moving a broody has been discussed on this thread. And this thread is so long that no one can read it all. Here's a link to when I last posted some directions: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...n-hatch-a-long-and-informational-thread/20040. It's post #20048. Prior to that there are a number of posts also. Good luck.