Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Jloeffler]

Yep. She went into a different nest box. I tried kicking her out of it, and she did get up but went to another empty box. With the weather due to get worse overnight dh and I decided to Luther in a dog crate in the garage where shed be a little more protected. Transfer went fine until she let out a huge broody poo all over the eggs! So...now what?
She in the garage in the crate with food and water. I got as much of the poo out as shed let me and cleaned off all but three eggs with dry paper towel. Not perfect, I don't want to wipe off the natural coat, but... She's currently ticked off, giving the stink eye and sitting on the three poo covered eggs with the others next to her.
Expert advice appreciated from all you experienced with broodiness. I'm afraid I shouldve left her...but hurricane!

 

[Miss Lydia]

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So she's only been sitting for 11 days? I have seen mine get up and go sit in another nest box too, and even let her eggs get cold. I'd pick her up and put her back on the right nest. I don't know why they do it, sometimes because another hen will force them off so she can lay an egg in that nest. so now she is in the garage in a dog crate with all her eggs right? well she'll settle down I believe. They don't like to be moved but she'll get over it. I have heard so many say don't clean the eggs. you did good thought to wipe as much poop as possible off of them, why did you not clean the last 3? so she gets upset, your only doing what you need to do. she'll get over it. you have to protect your animals, you did the right thing to move her out of possible harms way.

 

[Jloeffler]

Thanks for the feel goods, Miss Lydia! I left the last three because she stood over them and attacked my hand if I got too close. She has a very sharp and thick beak. I figured I might need my hand later this weekend

she disagreed. She used to be so shy until broody hormones kicked in. Right now she's my only laying age hen, though the others could start any time and have been very curious about her broodiness...lord I hope it's not as catchy as some have mentioned!
Thank you again! I am stressed more over her thN the darn hurricane!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Very understandable, I had 9 broodys this year and it is contageous, so watch out. It is very stressful but oh what joy when you see those little chicks pop out from under mama, I think they feel the barometer change more so than we do and is probably a little upsetting to them, and being moved didn't help. Oh yes a good pair of gloves come in handy too.

ya'll be safe.

 

[Jloeffler]

I've begun to think they should market those shark gloves for divers at TSC for chicken owners! Looks like we should be good, depends on rain and if Irene stalls over us! Thank you again! I appreciate it!

 

[BarnGoddess01]

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Very understandable, I had 9 broodys this year and it is contageous, so watch out. It is very stressful but oh what joy when you see those little chicks pop out from under mama, I think they feel the barometer change more so than we do and is probably a little upsetting to them, and being moved didn't help. Oh yes a good pair of gloves come in handy too.

ya'll be safe.

I can attest to the chick pop out thing. I nearly melted tonight - locking all the ladies in the coop and Miss Lizzie had one of her babies with its head poked out under her. The cuteness factor is off the scale!

(I had to redirect Miss Lizzie to the correct nest a couple of times - especially after I had moved it. And here we are on day 20 and I know I have 3 out of 5 eggs hatched. Will clean things up tomorrow if Lizzie consents and see if we actually have more than that or not.)

Miss Lizzie was my friendliest hen pre-broody. As a broody - she is in attack mode. I find it amusing. She almost seems conflicted as she zings me when I'm filling the feed dish!!

 

[Fuffy]

Quote:
Very understandable, I had 9 broodys this year and it is contageous, so watch out. It is very stressful but oh what joy when you see those little chicks pop out from under mama, I think they feel the barometer change more so than we do and is probably a little upsetting to them, and being moved didn't help. Oh yes a good pair of gloves come in handy too.

ya'll be safe.

Hope it all looks better in the light of day!

Please be safe!

 

[Fuffy]

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They are beautiful, BarnGoddess!

Excellent photography!!!! Well done that Momma Hen!!!!

Can't wait to see the frizzle fizz

 

[2overeasy]

Several people have posted on this thread about broody hen instinct. I have a question about that:
I ordered 12 Blue splash orpington eggs from a BYC'er. After 25 days, none had hatched, and everytime I checked there were fewer and fewer eggs. When I finally removed them on day 26, they were all rotten and one exploded in me hand (if anyone can tell me of a worst smell on this planet, I'll listen! Shew!).
On around Day 7 she got up and I saw that an egg had busted, so I removed it and gently wiped the others as best I could. Then I moved her to a dog crate. Well, I didn't level the crate, and during the night I guess she got up to adjust and several had rolled away from her and were in the front of the crate, cold. I put adjusted the kennel, gave her more hay for bedding, and stuck the cold eggs back under her (probably shouldn't have).
I believe none hatched due to my interference. However, after all that happened I didn't mess with her again, but everytime I did look, there were fewer and fewer eggs.
When I took those away, I gave her gold balls until I could get more eggs - she REALLY wants to be a mamma again (her 2nd hatch this year). 7 days on golfballs then she got eggs again. We are on day 11 of those eggs, and I am NOT messing with her at all! (Well, except for blue egg inside brown egg - see my separate post on that one).
So the question is, does the broody know when an egg is bad and she eats it? I'm fairly new at broodies and I guess I've got to learn to trust them to do what's right - especially when they've done it before successfully!

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Hi, I'm not sure about them eating an egg because it's bad but it makes since, in the wild the smell would surely draw predators so maybe instinct tells them too. I hope you have a great hatch and trust mama she knows what to do and if she has already been through this she is an expert. let us know how things are going.