Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Lady of McCamley]

Another possible way is to check her after dark; for some hens this works, but not all. You might find her protective behavior less when she can't see.

Sadly, I AM checking her after dark. I even shine the flashlight in her eyes to distract her. She is a demon. :/

LofMc

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Here's my broodzilla(I caught her while launching at my face) and an easy solution with these HD gloves(Florist Pro brand $17~). I expect her attacks and also take her barehanded as I know what is coming. She now has two 3 day old chicks under her. Just 2 from 5eggs as tug of war with another broody claimed 1, and I probably did the last two in by an emergency de-miting of all bedding due to an infestation. I had to move the last 4 eggs to the incubator(day20-21) for 4 hours to apply permethrin. You can't really see it from the photo but yep she is still biting me in the picture.
View attachment 2107759

Yep...we've got sisters.

Gloves, nightime, quick reflexes, it is.

@fisherlady A towel is a good suggestion.

LofMc

 

[Molpet]

Yep...we've got sisters.

Gloves, nightime, quick reflexes, it is.

@fisherlady A towel is a good suggestion.

LofMc

I have a turkey hen that is a demon. She reaches above welding gloves, ripps up my coat and gets off and floggs me. A heavy towel over her was sacrificed and did work last year. This year she wouldn't set in the coop. She is in an old fallen down shed in a corner behind stuff. She is on her own and I hope the coons don't get in the poultry yard and get her.

 

[AllenK RGV]

I moved broodzilla into a 4x8 extra pen with her two chicks yesterday they also have a 2ftx50 interior chicken wire space inside that run to keep the chicks close for momma lessons in the dirt. She was an impediment to the normal traffic flow of our porch with 4 dogs and three cats to abuse.

Additionally, my feral has been in broody prison for 5 days now so last night we gave her the dog transport box, fresh hay-bedding and three SumatraXSilkie eggs to test her out for good mother or not.

Anyhow meet Peggy Sue she is in Broodzilla's old broody box!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I have a turkey hen that is a demon. She reaches above welding gloves, ripps up my coat and gets off and floggs me. A heavy towel over her was sacrificed and did work last year. This year she wouldn't set in the coop. She is in an old fallen down shed in a corner behind stuff. She is on her own and I hope the coons don't get in the poultry yard and get her.

Or maybe you DO hope the coons get her.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

A mean broody is a good Mama hen. I like a mean broody, will put up with bites and pecks on my hands, arms and head, as long as Mama takes care of the chicks

 

[Lady of McCamley]

A mean broody is a good Mama hen. I like a mean broody, will put up with bites and pecks on my hands, arms and head, as long as Mama takes care of the chicks

Often that is the case, and I totally agree, mostly.

Some hens however are so combative they trample their chicks in hysteria, fighting off demons that don't exist.

I prefer an assertive, but calm hen, that is not afraid to stand up for her chicks, but isn't a holy terror launching wildly at everything in her path.

I don't breed from my crazies but will let them brood as long as they keep things under control and don't constantly strand their chicks as they yet again are on warpath against any flock mate that looked her direction.

My thoughts.
LofMc

 

[SharW75]

We have two broodies right now--both bantam cochins. Feathers is due on the 30th, and Flower is due May 8th. Feathers is a first-time broody, but her mama, Jet is an old hand, so she must have inherited the broody genes. Flower has brooded before, but it's her first time with us. Both girls are doing great so far! Feathers has three eggs under her, all of which are doing great, and Flower has 5 with three looking good and two looking questionable.

 

[SharW75]

A mean broody is a good Mama hen. I like a mean broody, will put up with bites and pecks on my hands, arms and head, as long as Mama takes care of the chicks

This is Flower. She is a mean broody--we have the pecks on our hands to prove it.

 

[SharW75]

The opposite of Flower is Feathers. She's a sweet little thing who doesn't mind when we reach underneath to check her babies. She hatched out one little one today, and has two more on the way!