Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Lady of McCamley]

Does anyone else have a problem with a broody hen stepping on the young chicks? Is it something that happens occasionally? Or is my broody just especially clumsy?

Yes, it happens...and as Fisherlady said, they sometimes kick them as they teach them to forage and scratch.

The only time it is a problem is if you have a feather footed breed, like a Silkie, and they get caught in the foot feathers...I have had a chick dragged that way...now I always trim my Silkie's foot feathers before she hatches chicks.

Lady of McCamley

 

[Lady of McCamley]

My Isbar broody hen with her new foster hatchlings.....two Fawn and White Indian Runner ducks!



And my other two broodies hatched some foster BO for a friend of mine.



Lots of babies! Yea!

I love the little duckling faces peeking out...Congratulations.
Lady of McCamley

 

[Lady of McCamley]

4 of the Rhodebars hatched Monday night...under Ms. Marvel (my avatar who hatched June 2013)

Silkie is contentedly sitting on 6 of the shipped Buckeye eggs due to hatch in 2 weeks. (the 4 maybe's in the incubators are probably no-go's).

I must say, Rhodebar chicks are cute, cute, cute.

 

[5 Acre Rooster]

Since my duck decided it wasn't time last week I figured I'd be incubating any eggs I am trying to hatch. But now I have a BSL that is squatting on a main nest site. She is really trying to make sure she stays put. She even sleeping there tonight. If I can move her to my broody box I'll give her some eggs. If she doesn't take to the box I'll figure something out. She's not in a box but in a pile of X-mas tree branches my mother was saving for crafts. In an open tin shed. Which is where 35% or so of my hens like to lay. So I would have issues leaving her in spot. Will try a move and see if it works or breaks her brood ideas.

 

[winteree]

My Isbar broody hen with her new foster hatchlings.....two Fawn and White Indian Runner ducks!



And my other two broodies hatched some foster BO for a friend of mine.



Lots of babies! Yea!

That's so cool my grandma said to be careful through she said they had a hen that nearly drowned when the ducklings first started to swim because every time they went into the water the hen would think they where drowning and hurt herself getting them out of the pool but I'm sure you've got everything under control

 

[elsfieldchickens]

Blizzard and chicks went outside today.

 

[emw0012]

I have a broody hen that has just hatched two of the four eggs she has been sitting on! We have four hens total and a small mobile coop in our urban backyard. The mom and babies are on the top level of the coop in a nest box. Should I move them somewhere else once they all hatch or just leave them up there and give them food and water? First time doing this:/

 

[fisherlady]

I have a broody hen that has just hatched two of the four eggs she has been sitting on! We have four hens total and a small mobile coop in our urban backyard. The mom and babies are on the top level of the coop in a nest box. Should I move them somewhere else once they all hatch or just leave them up there and give them food and water? First time doing this:/

Mama hen usually moves the crew to a floor nest after hatching is complete.... biggest precaution to take is frequent checks on their well being to make sure no one fell out of the nest early and is stranded by themselves on the floor (they handle the fall well, it is just being by themselves on the floor makes them vulnerable to being too cold)

After the first day you can probably just make her a nesting area on the floor and move her and the youngsters (even unhatched eggs) to the new nest. Broody hens are usually more willing to accept moves after they have a few chicks hatched. If she leaves the nest and unhatched eggs you may need to move the eggs to an incubator to complete the hatching (if they are viable) and then try to graft the chicks back to her after they dry out.

If you are not going to move her within 48 hours then you should provide her food and water where she can reach it... make sure whatever water sources are available in the coop are chick safe for the first few days (to prevent the little ones from falling into the water beak first and drowning. If you only have adult size waterers you can do this just by adding marbles to the water trough..

Edit to add... you need to observe the other flock members behavior around the new ones and be prepared to intervene if any are aggressive toward them (not just a casual 'get away from me' peck... I am referring to nasty, harmful attacks or picking up the chicks and flinging them).... if you see worriesome behavior you may need to provide a chicken wire barrier for a few days until the little ones learn to hang tight to mama and listen to her.

 

[K Epp]

My goose and duck co-hatched duck and turkey eggs. Total hatch was 6 duck and 2 turkey. I took the turkeys and placed them in a brooder. 4 of the ducks hatched Monday and 2 yesterday. I put a waterer and chick starter in their house. The duck will leave and go to the creek. The goose stays back with the ducklings. She is the #1 Mama. When will she bring them out and take them to water. Will the Mama's keep the cats and other birds from messing with the babies. My cats don't bother the chickens, but haven't been around any just days old.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

My goose and duck co-hatched duck and turkey eggs. Total hatch was 6 duck and 2 turkey. I took the turkeys and placed them in a brooder. 4 of the ducks hatched Monday and 2 yesterday. I put a waterer and chick starter in their house. The duck will leave and go to the creek. The goose stays back with the ducklings. She is the #1 Mama. When will she bring them out and take them to water. Will the Mama's keep the cats and other birds from messing with the babies. My cats don't bother the chickens, but haven't been around any just days old.

I can't answer when the goose will take them out as I've never had geese (although I suspicion it's likely a bit later than ducks as geese are larger birds and may take a few days more to mature enough), but I can say that a good momma will fend anything off her chicks barring a direct onslaught attack to hen and chicks, like from a dog or coon, which would simply overwhelm her.

So if your cats don't do a tiger-like attack, they won't think twice about coming anywhere close to mom as she will puff and growl and honk at them if they look in her direction or the direction of the chicks....oops goslings...ooops she thinks goslings but they're ducklings.

Lady of McCamley


and congratulations on the hatch!