Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bobbieschicks]

Gaaaah! I think we're down to 3 eggs!!!
I just went out to check on broody's water and she'd done a massive broody poop and had half covered one of the eggs.

She'd moved the other 3, but the poopy one was quite cold.

I quickly cleaned up that side of the nest and tried to wipe some of the poop off the egg.

She hopped off the nest whilst I was cleaning She better hop back on!!!
Also, it looked like there may have been a bit of blood in the poop, should I do anything for her?!

Though it may have been blueberries, as I gave her a few yesterday...

 

The poop covered one might still hatch. I've had that happen. Put it back under her and don't worry about it. Hopefully the 3 remaining eggs will do fine.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Watching my older lav orp as she's walking around the yard. She's been lounging in the nest box during the day but hasn't laid. As I watch her walk around she's picking dried grass from the ground and tossing it on her back. So weird. Guess she's trying to hide.

 

[QuirkySue]

I have a hen that I'm pretty sure has been broody for three weeks already, with no eggs under her. Every day we plop her out of the nesting box or put her outside, all bedding has been removed from "her" box to make it harder for her to keep it warm hoping she'd give up but she's stubborn. How long will a determined hen sit? I'm getting fertile eggs on saturday but I'm sure she wouldn't sit long enough now to hatch them, would she? She's a blue orpington, probably hatchery, and probably hatched last may so still quite young.

 

[fisherlady]

I have a hen that I'm pretty sure has been broody for three weeks already, with no eggs under her. Every day we plop her out of the nesting box or put her outside, all bedding has been removed from "her" box to make it harder for her to keep it warm hoping she'd give up but she's stubborn. How long will a determined hen sit? I'm getting fertile eggs on saturday but I'm sure she wouldn't sit long enough now to hatch them, would she? She's a blue orpington, probably hatchery, and probably hatched last may so still quite young.

Meet Gracie....
She went broody in mid December, we gave her fertile eggs on Jan 5 and on Jan 26 she hatched out 8 chicks! My biggest concern during her 'sit'... other than the cold... was her physical condition. We made sure she always had high quality food and treats available, and her daily 'treats' were actually things like cooked multi grain rolled cereal with raisins, and chopped fish, canned corn (rinsed)or other foods with good protein or calories. It helped keep her weight up and she came through in great shape.
So I would evaluate her physical condition and make your decision from there.
Good luck!

 

[pysankigirl]

My broody just hatched out several chicks.
I also have 8 chicks I catched in an incubator 1-3 weeks old

is it a good idea to try to house them together or will she hurt the older ones.
the older chicks are very docile breeds
she is a marans and has been letting me mess with her and handle her chicks without too much fuss.
no pecking at all.

 

[WRVgirl]

I'm so excited to have been pointed to this thread

I've got a buff orpington who just recently started laying....hooray!!...but less than a month later, I started noticing that she would scream at me when I came out into the yard, head down, fluffed out and then she started sitting in the nesting box...though honestly, the first sign for me was that she stopped laying! Immediately after I took some orders to give away some free hatching eggs *facepalm*

I figured that if you can't beat em, join em. I gave her 3 eggs to sit on, and so far she's been a very diligent momma hen.

I went to collect from my other girls today and realized that momma hen now had 6 eggs under her! I guess the others are laying in her nest while momma goes out to eat and forage! Oyi

So now, I'm just keeping a careful eye on what's under her...luckily I marked her eggs so I'd know which is which Phew, best idea ever! lol

I'm really excited to see if anything hatches!

I do have one big question [and one little question] though, since broody is still a very foreign concept to me

How long do they usually leave the nest to forage? Is there a time frame imbedded in their minds, or is it possible for them to hop off the nest to eat, and then forget that they are supposed to be sitting on eggs? Today, she came out in the morning and was out eating/pooping/pecking for about 30 minutes and then went back...but the day before, she was out for like an hour before I panicked and put her back on the nest! lol Should I keep my eye on her? Or leave her the heck alone. lol

Also, I'm worried about her eating/drinking enough? I'm sure she won't starve herself, but this is my first go at broody hatching and I'm scared she's going to starve herself rather than leave the eggs....I'm been giving her handfuls of feed...she'll growl at me, puff up and then realize that I've got scratch/sunflower seeds/feed for her, and she'll settle down and eat them out of my hand. This isn't going to hurt her, right? I don't want her to stress out but my fear of her starving outweighs my fear of stress.

Right now, she's in the main coop with all of the hens, when/if they hatch, I'll be moving her to her own little coop so she can rear her babies in peace. lol

 

[bobbieschicks]

I'm so excited to have been pointed to this thread

I've got a buff orpington who just recently started laying....hooray!!...but less than a month later, I started noticing that she would scream at me when I came out into the yard, head down, fluffed out and then she started sitting in the nesting box...though honestly, the first sign for me was that she stopped laying! Immediately after I took some orders to give away some free hatching eggs *facepalm*

I figured that if you can't beat em, join em. I gave her 3 eggs to sit on, and so far she's been a very diligent momma hen.

I went to collect from my other girls today and realized that momma hen now had 6 eggs under her! I guess the others are laying in her nest while momma goes out to eat and forage! Oyi

So now, I'm just keeping a careful eye on what's under her...luckily I marked her eggs so I'd know which is which Phew, best idea ever! lol

I'm really excited to see if anything hatches!

I do have one big question [and one little question] though, since broody is still a very foreign concept to me

How long do they usually leave the nest to forage? Is there a time frame imbedded in their minds, or is it possible for them to hop off the nest to eat, and then forget that they are supposed to be sitting on eggs? Today, she came out in the morning and was out eating/pooping/pecking for about 30 minutes and then went back...but the day before, she was out for like an hour before I panicked and put her back on the nest! lol Should I keep my eye on her? Or leave her the heck alone. lol

Also, I'm worried about her eating/drinking enough? I'm sure she won't starve herself, but this is my first go at broody hatching and I'm scared she's going to starve herself rather than leave the eggs....I'm been giving her handfuls of feed...she'll growl at me, puff up and then realize that I've got scratch/sunflower seeds/feed for her, and she'll settle down and eat them out of my hand. This isn't going to hurt her, right? I don't want her to stress out but my fear of her starving outweighs my fear of stress.
Right now, she's in the main coop with all of the hens, when/if they hatch, I'll be moving her to her own little coop so she can rear her babies in peace. lol

I've not had a broody die of hunger yet. They manage to eat, drink and poop rather stealthfully. I leave my broodies with the larger population as it helps in her integrating the chicks into the flock. Something I like to give my broodies is scrambled eggs every so often. Your hand feeding her isn't gong to hurt.

I've also seen my broody get up to eat a day before her eggs hatched but not eat while they were hatching over two days.

 

[bobbieschicks]

My broody just hatched out several chicks. 
I also have 8 chicks I catched in an incubator 1-3 weeks old

is it a good idea to try to house them together or will she hurt the older ones. 
the older chicks are very docile breeds
she is a marans and has been letting me mess with her and handle her chicks without too much fuss.
no pecking at all.

She may let the other chicks come around. You could certainly try it and be ready to remove anyone who needs to be removed. Usually the broody will fight off the other chickens who come around her babies, but if the chicks are about the same size and docile, it might work. Make sure there is a place for the older ones to hide should she attack them.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Meet Gracie.... She went broody in mid December, we gave her fertile eggs on Jan 5 and on Jan 26 she hatched out 8 chicks! My biggest concern during her 'sit'... other than the cold... was her physical condition. We made sure she always had high quality food and treats available, and her daily 'treats' were actually things like cooked multi grain rolled cereal with raisins, and chopped fish, canned corn (rinsed)or other foods with good protein or calories. It helped keep her weight up and she came through in great shape. So I would evaluate her physical condition and make your decision from there. Good luck!

Xs2!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I think one of my Silkies has been bitten by the broody bug! She laid her egg this morning, got up long enough for me to collect the eggs then ate and drank and has been in the nest box ever since. I think I'll collect tomorrows eggs and if she stays there I'll give her those and the eggs I've been collecting to put in my incubator. When I checked under her for eggs before locking up she gave me a growl and did the broody shuffle on my hand. I hope she sticks with it, broodies are the best
Nikki