Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Johnn]

I didn't think the Orpington was aggressive as she was last year when she was broody until today. I went to give her a tub full of corn and when I lowered it into the nest she ripped it out of my hand then when I was trying to get it back out she was going at my hand.

 

[lawatt]

lawatt It wont let me quote you so I will just type it here. I had the same problem a couple of years ago, I just put some boxes in for the rest of the hens and that sorted the problem out.

thank you!! i've added two additional boxes, will see what the girls make of them...

greatly appreciated!

 

[Johnn]

thank you!! i've added two additional boxes, will see what the girls make of them...

greatly appreciated!

It's ok , Also I made the new ones look really cosy so they would want to use them more than the other nest boxes.

 

[karlamaria]

Two chicks! Momma didn't get too annoyed when I lifted her wing, but bit the bejesus out of a nosy hen before me. Waiting on two more eggs then I'm moving them to an isolation pen. The other hens' curiosity is making me nervous!

she will more then defend them, believe me, she is better off with the girls so you do not have to reintroduce her,and the little ones at a later date. I learned this the hard way, it took months and months to reintroduce those chicks/ pullets. And mama got picked on something awful . I have raised 3 sets of chicks now with a broody, they know how to care for there babies and will do a great job introducing them to the flock and letting the flock know to stay clear. I let my girls out in my yard with the babies after only 3 days, she teaches them right away what to eat, how to forage etc. it's adorable. And the other hens who go near her chicks will get a peck and a chase away. If possible, alwYs leave mama and babies with the flock. -

 

[karlamaria]

Hi...I am new to this thread and this question may have been answered already but there are soooo many posts it would take me two days to read thru them all. I have a broody hen on 11 eggs out in the common chicken yard with 3 other hens. THe coop is elevated about 2 feet off the ground and she is in one of the nest boxes up in the coop. There is a ramp that leads down into a wired in area the same size as the coop footprint. The eggs are due in a week. I have several questions. First....should I leave her where she is to hatch the eggs or risk putting her off the nest by moving her downstairs? Second.....should I leave her in with the other hens? If I close the door to the space underneath, the other hens can't get into the coop at night as the only entrance is the ramp from the upper level to the lower wired section. I don't think I have a way to separate her from the other hens otherwise. I do have a large door for cleaning out the coop that I suppose I could make a temporary ramp on to allow them to get upstairs while to broody hen is downstairs and just lock them in at night after they roost. The yard is somewhat small so would be tough to separate off an area other than under the coop.

how cold is it where you are? My feeling is if it's nice and you can get away with putting her in a nice litter box with lid on the ground she can come and go and her babies would be safe on the ground and not fall out of the coop trying to manover that ramp. . Your coop is way to small for eleven chicks and those three birds, the floor space any ways. You will need to put her where she will not loose babies down that hole. Hope your building a new coop lol, cute coop though.

 

[lawatt]

It's ok , Also I made the new ones look really cosy so they would want to use them more than the other nest boxes.

it apparently looks cozy enough, as i'm happy to report that one of the non-broody girls is already sitting in one of the new boxes! hooray!

 

[Johnn]

it apparently looks cozy enough, as i'm happy to report that one of the non-broody girls is already sitting in one of the new boxes! hooray!

That's good then

 

[Johnn]

I am going to kick the Orpington off her next tomorrow just to put some straw under the eggs because they are currently just on wood which has air gaps in and its supposed to start getting colder so I want to make sure they don't get too cold.

 

[chickenmomma16]

I have a question, I was affraid to crack open one of my green eggs because I couldn't see in to it and I put it under a different broody that is 7 days into sitting on turkey eggs because broody momma was done sitting and wanted to take her chicks out, well I checked that egg today and I am pretty sure the chick is alive and just pipped internally (heard/felt scraping inside the egg) and hopefully it will hatch.

SO my question is will momma hen accept this chick? Or will she not even know the difference with one more? It is a few days behind the rest (the first chick hatched Wednesday morning and the last hatched Thursday night this one might hatch by this eve I'm guessing).

Also, will hatching one chick mess up my other broody? I was planning on putting the other chick with the rest in the evening after it hatches.




Here is my new momma and her babies.

 

[OHfarmerswife]

she will more then defend them, believe me, she is better off with the girls so you do not have to reintroduce her,and the little ones at a later date. I learned this the hard way, it took months and months to reintroduce those chicks/ pullets. And mama got picked on something awful . I have raised 3 sets of chicks now with a broody, they know how to care for there babies and will do a great job introducing them to the flock and letting the flock know to stay clear. I let my girls out in my yard with the babies after only 3 days, she teaches them right away what to eat, how to forage etc. it's adorable. And the other hens who go near her chicks will get a peck and a chase away. If possible, alwYs leave mama and babies with the flock. -

I separated my broody and she now has 8 chicks. When can I introduce them to the flock? The broody was being picked on when she was brooding.

[/IMG]