Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[nowlaura]

I'm no expert, but there's an "Assisted Hatching" article that will tell you how long to wait. It's for incubator eggs, but I'm sure that (in the absence of wise advice from one of the experts on this thread, which I am not one, I'm a total newb) you could use that timing.

Thank you TeaChick. I went through the article and it really, really helped put things in perspective. I need to slow down and wait. If they're already dead, there's nothing I can do about it. If they're still alive and doing well, I can interfere and kill them. I'm going to take things slow, and trust that they will hatch if they're hardy enough to do so. Otherwise, they probably didn't have enough vigor for a free range flock anyway. That's a lot easier to know in your brain than in your heart!

 

[bumpercarr]

Thank you TeaChick. I went through the article and it really, really helped put things in perspective. I need to slow down and wait. If they're already dead, there's nothing I can do about it. If they're still alive and doing well, I can interfere and kill them. I'm going to take things slow, and trust that they will hatch if they're hardy enough to do so. Otherwise, they probably didn't have enough vigor for a free range flock anyway. That's a lot easier to know in your brain than in your heart!

Exactly what I would do. Just leave them alone for a few days and see if anything happens. It is much too easy for you to do more harm than good. After all, if they died at some stage, you can't do anything about it. Your curiosity (and believe me I know) can actually damage the embryo a day or two before hatch. Just give it some time. If nothing hatches, I suggest getting her a chick from your local feed store or Tractor Supply so that she feels like she has accomplished something after such a long wait.

Good luck. My fingers are crossed for you!

 

[daniellea2912]

Question for those of you who have successfully grafted day old chicks onto sitting broodys-
Did you move her from her chosen nest to a nest in a broody pen or sectioned off area of the coop prior to introducing the chicks or after she was with the chicks? If before, how long? My broody is sitting in one of the higher level nests probably 2-3 feet off the ground, so obviously it's not the best spot for her to raise the chicks.

 

[fisherlady]

Question for those of you who have successfully grafted day old chicks onto sitting broodys-
Did you move her from her chosen nest to a nest in a broody pen or sectioned off area of the coop prior to introducing the chicks or after she was with the chicks? If before, how long? My broody is sitting in one of the higher level nests probably 2-3 feet off the ground, so obviously it's not the best spot for her to raise the chicks.

Mine stayed where she was after I gave her the chicks.... you can fashion a chick 'veranda' to extend her safe time by an extra day or two. Once the chick is grafted (you will know within about 24 hrs, or hopefully less) you can move them to a new, safer area.

If you look down below you will find a 'search this thread' .... search for my username and 'veranda' and you should find previous posts I've done, I know at some point I have posted some pics of ones we have done for broodies who chose to roost up high.

 

[CAjerseychick]

Question for those of you who have successfully grafted day old chicks onto sitting broodys-
Did you move her from her chosen nest to a nest in a broody pen or sectioned off area of the coop prior to introducing the chicks or after she was with the chicks? If before, how long? My broody is sitting in one of the higher level nests probably 2-3 feet off the ground, so obviously it's not the best spot for her to raise the chicks.

Last yr I did end up letting my broody hatch up in the nest box (she wouldnt move to the new spot we made for her)... and our nest boxes are 3 ft plus uff the ground)-- 4 hatched out successfully and made it fine to the ground with her (we lost one later in a freak accident that had nothing to do with the nest box) -- just make sure there is a deep bedding down in front for them to land on....

She is brooding again, thankfully down on the ground in the coop- but under the roosts silly girl, if I ever get my brooder empty I would think of moving her there....


oops sorry just caught that these are grafted chicks, still though if I was trying to get her to accept babies, I would do as little as I could to rock her "boat" so to speak... maybe intro them in the nest box, and then move them later once she has taken to them?

 

[CAjerseychick]

I'm sure fisherlady or lady of mcclamley (sp) have answered this, but I'm going to say this:
There's a thread called "chicken mating" (or something like that), in that thread, there's a long post where someone gives exactly what you're asking for, a blow-by-blow of the mating dance through shake and explains what is going on and why and variations.

Other than that, your chicken will lay one egg at a time (my leghorns, which will probably not go broody, lay one every single day taking maybe one day off every two weeks or something like that; my cochin, who almost definitely will go broody, lays two days in a row, then takes a day off; so whatever breed you have will dictate how many days in a row she lays). When she has "enough" eggs (by her own definition of "enough"), then she will start sitting. Some chickens are so prone to broodiness that they'll find a pile of something (golfballs, rocks, pieces of cement or bricks, whatever) to sit on like it's eggs that are gonna hatch.

What breed(s) do you have of hens, that will give you a much better idea of egg laying and broodiness.
I'm so sorry to be the barer of bad news, but that was an April Fool's prank. Very funny, and I even fell for it. =)



Same here. Me too.

Haha you guys are funny (the Prank post)-- also re: breeds -- we have hatchery bred and breeders birds jersey giants, and maybe d/t infrequent egg collection (they build up when I am out of town) both strains have gone broody- I like it cause only a couple are consistently broody so I get a continued supply of eggs....

I just set some Bantam eggs under my large fowl broody. I'm kind of nervous about her hatching the smaller eggs but she's a REALLY good momma.


Let us know how it goes I am curious too- I think it should be fine though..... good luck!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Question for those of you who have successfully grafted day old chicks onto sitting broodys-
Did you move her from her chosen nest to a nest in a broody pen or sectioned off area of the coop prior to introducing the chicks or after she was with the chicks? If before, how long? My broody is sitting in one of the higher level nests probably 2-3 feet off the ground, so obviously it's not the best spot for her to raise the chicks.

Definitely introduce before you move. A new nest and an unknown chick are a lot of variables. Some hens will immediately settle into a deep brood and take a chick as a nice surprise, others may be very upset at the move and would not be a good mother as they frantically pace looking to get back to their original nest.

I've had it take several days for a good graft, then move them to where you would like them to be. The fisherlady's veranda idea is an excellent solution.

Be aware that fosters may take awhile before they recognize the mom's voice as something to obey. Factor that into where you want to move them. I've had foster chicks become persistent wanderers and get stranded. Hatchlings know mom from the very beginning since they have had her imprinted in that crucial bonding time (first 24 hours)...but the fosters have to develop more flock instinct for survival, and that can take time depending upon the chick and hen and how much "imprinting" instinct is left in the chick.

Lady of McCamley

 

[Sydney Acres]

Question for those of you who have successfully grafted day old chicks onto sitting broodys-
Did you move her from her chosen nest to a nest in a broody pen or sectioned off area of the coop prior to introducing the chicks or after she was with the chicks? If before, how long? My broody is sitting in one of the higher level nests probably 2-3 feet off the ground, so obviously it's not the best spot for her to raise the chicks.

What breed is the hen? Is this her first brood? If not, does she have a history of holding her brood through moves, or does she break her brood easily? How long has she been brooding now? When will you be putting the chicks with her, and how old will the chicks be when first introduced?

If the chicks are coming soon, as in less than a week, then I'd definitely put the chicks with her in her current nest, regardless of how undesirable it is. She doesn't have enough time to get adjusted to a new nest, and she might injure the chicks trying to get back to her old nest. She might also break her brood and refuse to take care of them. Once she's bonded to the chicks you can move her to a better location, as she'll stay where the chicks are. The chicks probably won't have any problem getting out of the nest at 2-3 feet off the ground -- they bounce pretty well, as long as the landing is cushioned with soft bedding. But they won't be able to get back up, so you'll need to have a ground-level area available for the hen and chicks to take over, ideally fenced off from the rest of the flock, then ideally move her out of the coop once everyone has bonded, if appropriate.

On the other hand, if she's a breed that holds her brood well, or if she has a history of holding her brood well, and she's only been brooding for 10 days or less, and the chicks won't be put with her for at least another 10 days, then I might consider moving her to the ideal location now. Do it at night, per directions that have been posted on this thread a few times over the last month. If she holds her brood well but doesn't accept the new nest, she can always go back to the old nest. There is, of course, the risk that she might stop brooding, so I would only move her if breaking her brood is very unlikely. But if there's enough time there are several advantages to having her out of the coop when the chicks first arrive. She can bond to them without interruption. The chicks won't have other hens around that might injure them, and the chicks won't get confused as to which hen is their mom. If the chicks are more than a few days old they may not imprint on her immediately, so it may take a few days for her to get them under control. And you'll be able to have them in the best physical setup you have available from the beginning, instead of having to improvise a chick-safe environment from what's already in place.

 

[daniellea2912]

Thanks for sharing your experiences! Nice to hear different how you each have dealt with similar problems. The veranda solution would actually work excellent where the nestbox is

Definitely introduce before you move. A new nest and an unknown chick are a lot of variables. Some hens will immediately settle into a deep brood and take a chick as a nice surprise, others may be very upset at the move and would not be a good mother as they frantically pace looking to get back to their original nest.

I've had it take several days for a good graft, then move them to where you would like them to be. The fisherlady's veranda idea is an excellent solution.

Be aware that fosters may take awhile before they recognize the mom's voice as something to obey. Factor that into where you want to move them. I've had foster chicks become persistent wanderers and get stranded. Hatchlings know mom from the very beginning since they have had her imprinted in that crucial bonding time (first 24 hours)...but the fosters have to develop more flock instinct for survival, and that can take time depending upon the chick and hen and how much "imprinting" instinct is left in the chick.

Lady of McCamley

Good to know! So what's the soonest you would move after introducing assuming all goes well? I would be moving to a pen inside the coop but away from other chickens.

What breed is the hen?  Is this her first brood?  If not, does she have a history of holding her brood through moves, or does she break her brood easily?  How long has she been brooding now?  When will you be putting the chicks with her, and how old will the chicks be when first introduced?

If the chicks are coming soon, as in less than a week, then I'd definitely put the chicks with her in her current nest, regardless of how undesirable it is.  She doesn't have enough time to get adjusted to a new nest, and she might injure the chicks trying to get back to her old nest.  She might also break her brood and refuse to take care of them.  Once she's bonded to the chicks you can move her to a better location, as she'll stay where the chicks are.  The chicks probably won't have any problem getting out of the nest at 2-3 feet off the ground -- they bounce pretty well, as long as the landing is cushioned with soft bedding.  But they won't be able to get back up, so you'll need to have a ground-level area available for the hen and chicks to take over, ideally fenced off from the rest of the flock, then ideally move her out of the coop once everyone has bonded, if appropriate.

On the other hand, if she's a breed that holds her brood well, or if she has a history of holding her brood well, and she's only been brooding for 10 days or less, and the chicks won't be put with her for at least another 10 days, then I might consider moving her to the ideal location now.  Do it at night, per directions that have been posted on this thread a few times over the last month.  If she holds her brood well but doesn't accept the new nest, she can always go back to the old nest.  There is, of course, the risk that she might stop brooding, so I would only move her if breaking her brood is very unlikely.  But if there's enough time there are several advantages to having her out of the coop when the chicks first arrive.  She can bond to them without interruption.  The chicks won't have other hens around that might injure them, and the chicks won't get confused as to which hen is their mom.  If the chicks are more than a few days old they may not imprint on her immediately, so it may take a few days for her to get them under control.  And you'll be able to have them in the best physical setup you have available from the beginning, instead of having to improvise a chick-safe environment from what's already in place.

She's a small LF Ameraucana. Under a year old, first broody (as far as I know I have only had her a few months but due to her age I'd be surprised if it wasn't her first) she's been broody since 3/23 so that puts her 2 weeks in and chicks are being picked up 4/21 so about 2 weeks to go. I have only physically moved her off the nest twice- once each week to weigh her and access her condition. Otherwise I just give her a teeny bit of scrambled egg and offer her water twice a day.

To be honest, maybe I should leave her. I would hate to break her broody, especially since she's so young and this is the first broody experience for both of us.


Actually just realized I could just move the whole nestbox.... geesh why did I not think of that earlier???? I'll need someone to help me move it as its two boxes attached together but they aren't attached to the shelf. I'll need to build another one so my other hens have somewhere to lay but I have supplies...

 

[Sydney Acres]

What breed is the hen? Is this her first brood? If not, does she have a history of holding her brood through moves, or does she break her brood easily? How long has she been brooding now? When will you be putting the chicks with her, and how old will the chicks be when first introduced?

If the chicks are coming soon, as in less than a week, then I'd definitely put the chicks with her in her current nest, regardless of how undesirable it is. She doesn't have enough time to get adjusted to a new nest, and she might injure the chicks trying to get back to her old nest. She might also break her brood and refuse to take care of them. Once she's bonded to the chicks you can move her to a better location, as she'll stay where the chicks are. The chicks probably won't have any problem getting out of the nest at 2-3 feet off the ground -- they bounce pretty well, as long as the landing is cushioned with soft bedding. But they won't be able to get back up, so you'll need to have a ground-level area available for the hen and chicks to take over, ideally fenced off from the rest of the flock, then ideally move her out of the coop once everyone has bonded, if appropriate.

On the other hand, if she's a breed that holds her brood well, or if she has a history of holding her brood well, and she's only been brooding for 10 days or less, and the chicks won't be put with her for at least another 10 days, then I might consider moving her to the ideal location now. Do it at night, per directions that have been posted on this thread a few times over the last month. If she holds her brood well but doesn't accept the new nest, she can always go back to the old nest. There is, of course, the risk that she might stop brooding, so I would only move her if breaking her brood is very unlikely. But if there's enough time there are several advantages to having her out of the coop when the chicks first arrive. She can bond to them without interruption. The chicks won't have other hens around that might injure them, and the chicks won't get confused as to which hen is their mom. If the chicks are more than a few days old they may not imprint on her immediately, so it may take a few days for her to get them under control. And you'll be able to have them in the best physical setup you have available from the beginning, instead of having to improvise a chick-safe environment from what's already in place.

She's a small LF Ameraucana. Under a year old, first broody (as far as I know I have only had her a few months but due to her age I'd be surprised if it wasn't her first) she's been broody since 3/23 so that puts her 2 weeks in and chicks are being picked up 4/21 so about 2 weeks to go. I have only physically moved her off the nest twice- once each week to weigh her and access her condition. Otherwise I just give her a teeny bit of scrambled egg and offer her water twice a day.

To be honest, maybe I should leave her. I would hate to break her broody, especially since she's so young and this is the first broody experience for both of us.


Actually just realized I could just move the whole nestbox.... geesh why did I not think of that earlier???? I'll need someone to help me move it as its two boxes attached together but they aren't attached to the shelf. I'll need to build another one so my other hens have somewhere to lay but I have supplies...
I have no experience with this breed, so don't know how easily they will break their brood if disturbed.

Since she's two week in, do you have her on some fake or real eggs? Many broodies will break their brood prematurely if they're not sitting on something. If you use real eggs, rotate them out every 1-2 days if you want to eat them. I have a friend that rotates them out once a week, then cooks the eggs and feeds them to the chickens. I use ceramic eggs, and other people use golf balls. But she should be on something if you need her to hold her brood for a full 4 weeks. I use a minimum of 2 eggs, but you could probably use 6 without her getting overwhelmed.

If you move her whole nestbox, do it at night, do it quickly and without any disturbance to her at all, if possible. Anything you can do to minimize the disturbance to her will make it more likely that she will remain broody. Moving her whole nestbox is an excellent idea, and one that is rarely available to most people.

Try to give her lots of different foods to entice her to eat while she's brooding. Fisherlady has recently posted a wonderful, nutritious and delicious broody menu on this thread. It will be much easier for you to feed her if she's moved to a private area, as the other hens would likely eat any special and tasty food that you leave out for her.

Good luck with her. Having a broody hen is wonderful.