Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[countrygirl5]

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This is a pic of my coop, (and Bear). I have two buff orpingtons that have seemed to go broody, but I wasn't sure. So I left all the eggs last night to find out, and when I went out this morning, one was sitting on 10 eggs!!! So w/hubby's help, we kicked all the hens out, cleaned the cage and made the "broody area". The one gal kept pecking at the door to be let back in the whole time we were cleaning and constructing!! As soon as we were finished, she rushed right back to her spot! I had taken all the eggs this morning, but there were already 4 more when we kicked them out. I'll wait till tonight and move both hens to the new area and give them each as many eggs as I have!! Very excited!! All the hens lay in the same box.

The area we sectioned off for the broody's (I haven't named any of my chickens)


Looking into the broody area. The water dish is under the heat lamp. I was going to post a pic of my two buff's trying to share a nest, but it was taking forever to load the pic. Maybe next time. So, by the 23rd of March I should have baby chicks!!!

 

[stonykill]

Bear is handsome. For 14 years i had a black lab named Bear. lost him a few months ago, simply to old age. Great dogs. The broody area looks good, but one question. Why the heat lamp?

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This is a pic of my coop, (and Bear). I have two buff orpingtons that have seemed to go broody, but I wasn't sure. So I left all the eggs last night to find out, and when I went out this morning, one was sitting on 10 eggs!!! So w/hubby's help, we kicked all the hens out, cleaned the cage and made the "broody area". The one gal kept pecking at the door to be let back in the whole time we were cleaning and constructing!! As soon as we were finished, she rushed right back to her spot! I had taken all the eggs this morning, but there were already 4 more when we kicked them out. I'll wait till tonight and move both hens to the new area and give them each as many eggs as I have!! Very excited!! All the hens lay in the same box.

The area we sectioned off for the broody's (I haven't named any of my chickens)


Looking into the broody area. The water dish is under the heat lamp. I was going to post a pic of my two buff's trying to share a nest, but it was taking forever to load the pic. Maybe next time. So, by the 23rd of March I should have baby chicks!!!

 

[bobbieschicks]

.
This is a pic of my coop, (and Bear). I have two buff orpingtons that have seemed to go broody, but I wasn't sure. So I left all the eggs last night to find out, and when I went out this morning, one was sitting on 10 eggs!!! So w/hubby's help, we kicked all the hens out, cleaned the cage and made the "broody area". The one gal kept pecking at the door to be let back in the whole time we were cleaning and constructing!! As soon as we were finished, she rushed right back to her spot! I had taken all the eggs this morning, but there were already 4 more when we kicked them out. I'll wait till tonight and move both hens to the new area and give them each as many eggs as I have!! Very excited!! All the hens lay in the same box.

The area we sectioned off for the broody's (I haven't named any of my chickens)


Looking into the broody area. The water dish is under the heat lamp. I was going to post a pic of my two buff's trying to share a nest, but it was taking forever to load the pic. Maybe next time. So, by the 23rd of March I should have baby chicks!!!

Nice set up!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I was thinking the same thing, why the heat lamp?.

Bear is handsome. For 14 years i had a black lab named Bear. lost him a few months ago, simply to old age. Great dogs. The broody area looks good, but one question. Why the heat lamp?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi everyone! Well my Broody hen Gracie is on day 6, for the first 3 days she got up for about 10-15 minutes everyday. I would usually come out and she was down or when I would go out she would fly down and collect treats.

Well now I have not seen her off of the nest at all. She may be getting off when Im not seeing but Im not sure. She has food outside the nest but when she got down the last few times she eats the food on the ground. Could she be getting up and eating the food outside the nest without me knowing?

I dont whether I should pick her up and set her down to eat or just let her be. What do you guys think?? Thanks!

Hey scarlett, My broody hasn't budged today but it is very windy and cold out, yesterday I did put her down on the ground for poo and running around like a banshe. I'll have to bring in her water tonight though because i don't have power to the lil coop she is in, but I think they eat when we aren't looking so we will fret over them. lol hey how the baby ducks doing.?

 

[Glasshen]

I had heard that it is best to swap eggs or put tiny foster chicks under a broody hen at night with as little disruption as possible.

 

[stonykill]

I had to break a broody tonight. Well, I didn't intentionally. I tried to move her. She was in a known nest under a wild rose bush, that I forgot to check for a few days. This afternoon I saw a black Sumatra hen, looking like they look the day they are going to start sitting. At 5 she wasn't on the nest. When I locked up everyone at 6, I went to collect the eggs, and she was on it. My wife held a flashlight while I tried to move her. She FREAKED out and ran to the Sumatra spruce. Screaming her fool head off the entire way. I even had a dog crate ready. Broke my heart. The eggs are in the house. Poor girl.......

 

[bobbieschicks]

Whatever laid back mood Smokey was in after hatching the babies has passed. I was outside earlier today and every time I checked on her and the babies she squawked at me and several times she tried to peck me. Keep away from my babies was what she was saying.

 

[Tripp16]

Hey scarlett, My broody hasn't budged today but it is very windy and cold out, yesterday I did put her down on the ground for poo and running around like a banshe. I'll have to bring in her water tonight though because i don't have power to the lil coop she is in, but I think they eat when we aren't looking so we will fret over them. lol hey how the baby ducks doing.?

I know! My girl is trying to make me worry. Lol! They ducklings are good. I sent you a PM back.

Also tomorrow is day 7... did you candle your girls eggs at night? Could it hurt? I would really like to see who all is growing but not if it is going to mess her up. Plus Im kind of nervous about the fertility I guess because I got them from my friend for the first time. I would hate for her to sit on something that wasnt going to growing.... :/

 

[bobbieschicks]

I know! My girl is trying to make me worry. Lol! They ducklings are good. I sent you a PM back.

Also tomorrow is day 7... did you candle your girls eggs at night? Could it hurt? I would really like to see who all is growing but not if it is going to mess her up. Plus Im kind of nervous about the fertility I guess because I got them from my friend for the first time. I would hate for her to sit on something that wasnt going to growing.... :/

I had read that if the eggs are bad the broody will kick them out of the nest, however that was not my experience with my 1st time broody. She sat on them without stopping. I would gently candle them on day 7 to see if good and on day 14 to see if on target since its still winter and cold in most places.