Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[matt4068]

@chickenmomma16 how in the world did they get up there? They must have a ladder right? Very cool!

 

[Coop de Grass]

@PD-Riverman You will be happy to know that I didn't move her after Day 18. Up until then it was once a day. I figured that moving her towards the end was a bad idea!

 

[Coop de Grass]

@chickenmomma16 how high is your roost? My lowest roost is about 4 foot above the floor, and the next is 5 1/2 ft up...

 

[flyladyrocks]

Hi there all! I just discovered this thread last night. I have 6 bantams which are my focus for the moment! (I also have LF and Turkeys). I've had chickens for 2 years. This is my first hatching season with my own roosters. I am very excited. I don't have an incubator so it is all broodies for me!

For the four weeks surrounding Christmas 5 of my 6 bantams went broody. Started with my frizzle Cochin and it was contagious. The thing is, I did not want babies in the dead of winter! So many I know had some big issues with the eggs laid in close to zero and sub zero weather so I really did not want to invite any problems. Plus I also don't have a rooster in my bantam girls. Eight roos last year and not a single one was bantam!

So here we are 6 weeks later and Diva, my naked neck silkie mutt (she was an experiment reject from a local breeder, but I love her!) will not give up. I was able to break the rest. She has been happily brooding air. I do have a silkie roo now, but just got him 3 weeks ago and he is still in quarantine so no babies from him yet. It hits me yesterday, wow, nice warm 60 degree weather this weekend, so hey, lets give her some of the big girl eggs to sit on! What clinched the idea was when I realized that 21 days from tomorrow is my birthday. I can't think of a better birthday present.

My bantam girls do move eggs, they also will hang onto them with their wings and feet if I pick them up and I have seen some of my big girls gently put an egg under their "chins" and move them, so I know they move eggs! I did not take her 3 eggs (that she moved from her friends neighboring nests) away from her yesterday. I just replaced them with 3 more today, and then will replace 3 more tomorrow.

With my luck she will give up on the whole broody thing now that I've decided to let her go for it! But she is so determined, and my most stubborn girl (and a total Diva since we got her hence her name!) so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

I am not sure how this will work since she has been brooding for so long already. I am amazed at their natural instincts and trust they will just kick in and she'll go into natural lockdown at the right point!

@PD-Riverman when do you move your hens nest and what do you put it in for a few days before you move it? Right now she is in the corner of the coop because for some reason that is the most desired spot. Before chicken math hit and this was the big girls coop, they liked that corner too! Forget the nesting box, that corner is prime realestate. I have a large wooden 4x5 brooder on the back porch I was going to move her to, which is also where the bantam coop and their enclosed run is, they also have a 10x 20 run off the porch. Yeah, they are spoiled! The bantams are essentially our pets. We have low windowsills and they provide endless winter entertainment and love to hop up on the windowsills to visit. The brooder is kinda the movable second story in part of the enclosed run, and our window gives the perfect opportunity to watch new babies!

Please, any advice/encouragement is much appreciated! Thanks!

And @chickenmomma16 I too am wondering how in the world they got up there!

 

[PD-Riverman]

@PD-Riverman when do you move your hens nest and what do you put it in for a few days before you move it?

Most all my nesting boxes are movable. If I have a hen that becomes broody in a non-movable box or corner---I get a movable box ready--with hay and fake eggs---that night I pick up the hen, remove nesting materials, place movable box in that nest/or spot---place her back in the nest with fake eggs(or eggs that I will remove daily and leave her a few more each day I remove the others till I set her) I let her get use to the new nest---usually a day or so----then at night I move her to the hatching pen in total darkness. I ease the nest with her in it into the hatching pen and Leave. ALWAYS get the hatching pen set-up before the move---food water etc. If you did that when you move her---that could and will up-set her. I have set just before day break and watch at a distance---when the hen can start seeing a little she knows she is in a new place as she can see a little more she can see her food and water across the pen from her(never where she can get to it while in the nest). She sits there as it gets lighter and "I" feel she is taking in her new place and not being bothered by no one/chicken----I have seen them come out the nest and check the place out, eat, etc then go get back in their nest. I have sit there for a hour and they just sit---so I move on---LOL. When I know she is going to stay, I set her with fresh eggs. Once the hens go broody a second and third time---they know they are going to be moved and I place their fertile eggs under them before I even move them. I do Not NEVER allow a broody to collect her own eggs---I want them to hatch at the same time so I put fresh ones in her nest.

Let me say this----"THIS" is what I do---i am Just sharing--- I am not saying my way is the best way----I am just saying this is what works for me---with great hatches and No Problems. Good Luck.

 

[flyladyrocks]

Let me say this----"THIS" is what I do---i am Just sharing--- I am not saying my way is the best way----I am just saying this is what works for me---with great hatches and No Problems. Good Luck.

 

[chickenmomma16]

@chickenmomma16 how in the world did they get up there? They must have a ladder right? Very cool!

@chickenmomma16
 [COLOR=333333]how high is your roost? My lowest roost is about 4 foot above the floor, and the next is 5 1/2 ft up...[/COLOR]

@chickenmomma16
 I too am wondering how in the world they got up there!

The roost they were on is 6ft from the ground and the second one is about 4 1/2ft. I have a poo board and a trash can nearby so the babies can get up and down pretty easily. I went out there tonight and the 2 Black Stars were up there snuggled next to each other all by themselves... The RIR and Red Star were in their broody box sleeping with Momma. I have never had chicks want to sleep on the roost by themselves so young! They are 4 weeks old today (that pic was taken a few days ago). I did put them away with Mom tonight as it was pretty cold. This is a first time broody hen with grafted 3-4 day old chicks from a hatchery. She goes broody many times a year so I thought I would put her to work this year. So far I am impressed with her mothering skills. I already have my eyes on some Silver Leghorn, Welsummer, and will probably throw in some of my own Ameraucana eggs. She will be busy this year!

 

[PD-Riverman]

I will try to move her into the big brooder just before sunrise

"""I""" Move mine at first dark so she has all night to settle down from the move, then I do not go near her the nest morning.---I have no need because she already has food and water. If you have already given her the eggs--- I would watch her the next morning from a distance to make sure she does not stay off the nest to long. I do not give a 1st time move hen the setting eggs until after the move and she is settled in. Good Luck!

 

[flyladyrocks]

"""I""" Move mine at first dark so she has all night to settle down from the move, then I do not go near her the nest morning.---I have no need because she already has food and water. If you have already given her the eggs--- I would watch her the next morning from a distance to make sure she does not stay off the nest to long. I do not give a 1st time move hen the setting eggs until after the move and she is settled in. Good Luck!

Thanks for the correction, I was so tired I missed some of the details! I moved her nest into the container in the coop when she went out for her morning stretch. She was quite upset about this new intrusion and made a lot of racket. I performed some "chicken psychology", went in there and picked her up calmed her down and put her on "her" eggs and then she was fine. She re-situated everything, got the eggs tucked down under her just right and seems very content now.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I moved her nest into the container in the coop when she went out for her morning stretch. She was quite upset about this new intrusion and made a lot of racket.

Thats why I do it at early Night---gives her all night to get use to it. I would never do it in the day, glad you got her settled down.