Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bhj123]

Ok well thank you Lady of McCamley and Sydney Acres.
She is an 8 lb. Black Australorp hen. She's brooded for me before and did fantastic. She just hasn't hatched any bantam eggs. Thank you sooo much for the advice!!!

 

[chicken farmer]

I was leaving her eggs in the lower nestbox and she finally went broody!!!

She had her first clutch last spring and hatched out 3 from her 5 eggs (pictured) But anyway I'm super glad she's broody again this year and she's on 6 of her eggs so I'm hoping she gets a bigger hatch rate and hope her second time around goes great as it should,she was a really protective and great mom.....can't wait for April 19th!!!!!!

 

[Yoyo with chick]

I have a question... What should I feed my broody? I'm feeding her just scratch.

 

[fisherlady]

Quote:

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I have a question... What should I feed my broody? I'm feeding her just scratch.

She needs high protein and lots of vitamins and minerals, so many simply feed the chick crumbles or a flock raiser (18%) since they'll need it for the babies too. She and the babies can eat that until she starts laying again. She does not need layer pellet until then as it is high in calcium which she will not be using while she is brooding since she isn't laying.

It helps to keep the feed and water close to her nest so she can easily nibble. Be sure it can't be tipped over into the nest. She'll be more likely to get up and eat/drink once a day if it is close.

Many also offer nutritious snacks. I like to offer yogurt, Black Oil Sunflower Seeds (shelled), and some scratch especially if it is colder weather so she can generate heat better (corn especially helps with that). Cottage cheese is also another high protein nutritious snack. Many offer boiled chopped egg. (I use up my eggs quickly for my family and egg orders so my hens never get any).

If it is hotter weather I also put chick saver vitamins/electrolytes in her water to keep her electrolytes up. I always have ACV (raw with the mother) in the water. I may alternate as I don't add the chick saver in the water with the ACV (high acid deactivates some of the vitamins and minerals).

Lady of McCamley

 

[Yoyo with chick]

She needs high protein and lots of vitamins and minerals, so many simply feed the chick crumbles or a flock raiser (18%) since they'll need it for the babies too. She and the babies can eat that until she starts laying again. She does not need layer pellet until then as it is high in calcium which she will not be using while she is brooding since she isn't laying.

It helps to keep the feed and water close to her nest so she can easily nibble. Be sure it can't be tipped over into the nest. She'll be more likely to get up and eat/drink once a day if it is close.

Many also offer nutritious snacks.  I like to offer yogurt, Black Oil Sunflower Seeds (shelled), and some scratch especially if it is colder weather so she can generate heat better (corn especially helps with that). Cottage cheese is also another high protein nutritious snack. Many offer boiled chopped egg. (I use up my eggs quickly for my family and egg orders so my hens never get any).

If it is hotter weather I also put chick saver vitamins/electrolytes in her water to keep her electrolytes up. I always have ACV (raw with the mother) in the water. I may alternate as I don't add the chick saver in the water with the ACV (high acid deactivates some of the vitamins and minerals).

Lady of McCamley

So is my scratch doing any good

 

[bumpercarr]

So is my scratch doing any good

Scratch is notoriously low in protein, a regular chicken food would be better (unless you are feeding straight corn as scratch). I had to take all of my hens off of scratch, they were eating it and not their regular food and losing so much weight. Scrambled eggs is good (cool them down first), I also give mine pecans. I have a pecan orchard, so I usually have enough left on the ground to grind up with a hammer and feed to the chickens. They love it and they have 18% protein. More fat than I would normally give them, but a broody with burn it off.

 

[OHfarmerswife]

Haven't been on this thread since last year.

I have a CCL that has been broody for over a month. I have SFH chicks that hatched yesterday. I would Iike to put the chicks under the hen.
This is her first time broody ....any suggestions?

 

[fisherlady]

Haven't been on this thread since last year.

I have a CCL that has been broody for over a month. I have SFH chicks that hatched yesterday. I would Iike to put the chicks under the hen.
This is her first time broody ....any suggestions?

The sooner you do it the better, so the babies will be used to the broody rather than a brooder light.... Make sure her nest area is quiet (block out any nosey flock members who may be bothering you while you do the exchange)
Take out the 'fake eggs' if she is setting on any and cup the chick in your hand and gently slide them under her, don't even show them to the hen. Then you will have to commit to staying close by for a good deal of time. Brooder babies don't understand that mama is a source of heat rather than a bright light... so when they pop out from under her shortly, they won't understand that they need to go back under her to get warm, so you may need to intervene a few times till they get the idea. And you will need to monitor mama to make sure she doesn't freak and attack the chicks, some hens just don't get it, others will adopt anything with feathers....
Lady of McCamley has grafted more chicks than I have, so she may be able to answer any other questions you may have.

 

[TeaChick]

Eggs are best hatched if they are 7 days or less old, although many have hatched 10 days or older, but your success rate goes down the older the egg is.

You can gather the eggs, however many at a time, and then put them in a "hatching" carton at cooler but not cold room temperature (but not hot either), point sides down, with one edge propped up...switch which corner you prop several times a day (to keep the yolk from sticking to the shell). Then rotate fresher eggs into the carton...older eggs can go into the fridge for use with cooking or whatever.

With a first time, full size hen, it is generally best to put only 8 eggs under her. Eventually she can handle 12 to 16, depending upon how much she "spreads" and how good a mother she is. (I've heard of some hatching as many as 20 or more...but that is a LOT for one hen to handle.)

Good luck!
Lady of McCamley

Thank you!!! =)

I Hear Babies!!! Can't see any Luna has them covered. So excited!!