Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Johnn]

Our buff orp just hatched her first clutch and she's proving to be an excellent mother. If you go with a buff orp for a broody, I think you'll be pleased.
That said, we have three buff orp hens and only one has decided to be a mom. The other two are acting as if there's no way they'd even consider it.

I had one that looked like she would never, ever be a mother. But at the end of Summer last year... (by the way if you wonder why she's so scratty on these its because he was attacked by a Buzzard and then got mating damage!)

 

[Johnn]

Chicks are fitting in well

 

[Scott H]

Don't know what to do about this.....

 

[Scott H]

Oprah wants to lay in the box Tina is brooding in...even tho it's not the box she wanted to lay in previously.

 

[Scrambles55]

Oprah wants to lay in the box Tina is brooding in...even tho it's not the box she wanted to lay in previously.

That happened to me a few weeks ago with my broody. It broke one of the eggs. Your broody needs to be fenced off in her own spot.

 

[Scott H]

Quote:
If this were possible, I would do it, but it's not.

 

[winteree]

Don't know what to do about this.....

Looks like it's time to build your broody a home of her own

 

[Sydney Acres]

Johnn, you've got such beautiful pictures. That chick really grew nicely. It's nice to see the growth over several months shown all at once. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Quote:
If this were possible, I would do it, but it's not.
I just don't see how this situation can work. Either all the eggs will get broken, or the broody will get so frustrated that she'll abandon the nest. Even if the chicks do somehow hatch, they'd likely be trampled by the multiple hens in such a small space.

Why isn't it possible to separate them?

 

[Scrambles55]

If this were possible, I would do it, but it's not.

I had that problem too. Right when the first egg was hatching, something happened and killed it. The yolk was still attached. Si kept climbing on top of Rumples while she was brooding. Finally, I decided that the only thing I could do was close off the coop. The girls were not happy, but they gave in and slept in the dog crate in the pen at night and laid their eggs there too. That was just for 3 days while the eggs were hatching. I was sure that Rumples would not leave her chicks and they were put in a broody pen after the hatch. The girls then got the coop back.