Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[gg706]

Scramble some eggs and feed them to her. My broodies get a treat of mealies and scrambled eggs when they have been sitting so long. Not mixed together though.

Thank You. I will give her some eggs this morning. Very good idea.

 

[OHfarmerswife]

Scramble some eggs and feed them to her. My broodies get a treat of mealies and scrambled eggs when they have been sitting so long. Not mixed together though.

So you give her the scrambled eggs while she us still sitting or after she us done?

This is the best page, with so much info.
Thanks to all for the great questions and even better answers!!

As one with her first broodie who has been sitting for almost 2 weeks , I have learned so much.

Thanks again.

 

[fisherlady]

So you give her the scrambled eggs while she us still sitting or after she us done?

This is the best page, with so much info.
Thanks to all for the great questions and even better answers!!

As one with her first broodie who has been sitting for almost 2 weeks , I have learned so much.

Thanks again.

Our broody sat a long time, and during very, very cold weather.... so we gave her a selection of 'treats' twice a day and also switched her food over to chick food the last week also.
Treats we gave Gracie included... scrambled eggs, hulled sunflower seeds, crushed peanuts (make sure they are unsalted), whole kernal canned corn (rinsed to remove salt), yogurt, fish and mealworms.
We had a small ceramic dish and would place a couple of treats in it near the nest so she could pick at her leisure. She put a bit of weight back on after we started doing this and I think the added bonus was that she really enjoyed the extras and was much more tolerant of our being around her. When the little ones hatched we just made sure everything was cut up tiny for a couple of days so if they tried any of it they didn't have trouble. We did that since for the first two days or so she rarely left the nest with them because it was so cold, so she was still needing her food close by.
You probably won't need to continue the special treatment once she is up with the little ones, which will be within a day or two of hatch, since she will be busy showing them the regular sources of food.... and hopefully eating more normal amounts herself.
The little ones quickly learned that a ceramic dish meant goodies! And to this day we get mobbed when we carry a dish out to the coop for anything! LOL

 

[gg706]

Did you handle your chicks that were brooded by a broody? I have only brooded them myself in a box in the garage and of course was going out there all the time holding them and interacting. I am assuming chicks hatched here and raised by my hen will not be socialized very well. Or do they take cues from the mother? My broody will let me put my hand under and lift up a little to see the eggs but complains a little. She goes after the cat and dogs when they go up there and she is on an outing. So I am not sure how she is going to react if I hold one of her chicks.

 

[6littlechicks]

I did the last time my broody hatched. She's very good with letting me pet her and check on the eggs/ chicks. I guess you can if you don't risk losing fingers, lol

 

[Miss Lydia]

Most of the time when chicks are hatched and raised by broodys they aren't near as tame as the ones we brood. but again they need to learn how to take care of themselves and thats why we let mamas do it right? My chickens/ducks/geese free range they need to know how to survive out there. If I need to pick one up I wait till they go in to roost then pick them up, chicks I rarely pick up. If you have a feed store with day olds thats a good option if your not picky about breeds.

at our TSC back in Feb. they had day old pullets, I've not been back since, I stay away during chick days.

 

[gg706]

Ya I kinda figured that was how it was going to go. I am going to try and handle them a little if mama will tolerate it without getting really upset. I free range as well so I can see your point about needing to be a bit more untrusting.
My son really loves handling the chickens though, so the chicks may not have a choice about being tamed or not!

First thing after school he runs out to the chickens in the yard and picks them up one by one and pets them etc. For some reason the chickens allow him to get them anytime......They do not let me catch them as much.

 

[fisherlady]

We handled ours, but we are able to sit in the coop with them and let them come to us. It didn't take them long to figure out that humans meant good things and they would run to us as soon as we sat down and they could jump up onto a knee or hand. We are lucky though in that Gracie (the broody) was OK with letting us interact with them. If the hen gets upset about it I wouldn't push it. They are still a very friendly and nosey bunch... but then again, we had Australorp and Barred Rocks, and both of those breeds are typically known to be friendly.

 

[Miss Lydia]

We handled ours, but we are able to sit in the coop with them and let them come to us. It didn't take them long to figure out that humans meant good things and they would run to us as soon as we sat down and they could jump up onto a knee or hand. We are lucky though in that Gracie (the broody) was OK with letting us interact with them. If the hen gets upset about it I wouldn't push it. They are still a very friendly and nosey bunch... but then again, we had Australorp and Barred Rocks, and both of those breeds are typically known to be friendly.

My bantam girls are sitting on BA eggs, nice to hear they are typically friendly. most of my hens will take food out of my hand, all but my one bantam game she is the most timid.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ya I kinda figured that was how it was going to go. I am going to try and handle them a little if mama will tolerate it without getting really upset. I free range as well so I can see your point about needing to be a bit more untrusting.
My son really loves handling the chickens though, so the chicks may not have a choice about being tamed or not!

First thing after school he runs out to the chickens in the yard and picks them up one by one and pets them etc. For some reason the chickens allow him to get them anytime......They do not let me catch them as much.

Thats cute and your son will probably get his way, kids and animals are so sweet together.