Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Sydney Acres]

Quote:
I had two broodies share a 6X5 foot pen that I diviided. I started with one broody in a cardboard nest box that was inside a 2'W X 2'H X 5'L covered run made of 1"X2" welded wire, held together with zip ties (cable ties). The other broody was in a cardboard nest box that was just sitting in the rest of the enclosure. I initially covered the small run with a thin sheet to block their sight of each other and keep the new, higher strung broody in dimmer light. Once they were ok for a few days I removed the sheet. A few days after that I just divided the run in half with 30" high 1"X2" welder wire, and removed the small run. That made it easier for me to step over the wire as I took care of each bird. I hung the sheet on the wire for the first few days, just to be sure. Neither bird left her nest, and there was no drama at all. The small openings in the welded wire prevent chicks from passing back and forth.

 

[winteree]

what are the chances of a 11 week old bantam chick adopting chicks. My black bantam has darn near hurt her self trying to get into the chicks brooder (which is right under their coop) while making what i can only describe as purring noises what do y'all think is she trying to be friendly or trying attack the chicks (she and my "rooster" fight almost nonstop)?

And to those of whom who know it is OK to feed medicated chick starter to chicks under 2 and turning 12 weeks old? I just bought some what i thought was grower feed and now that i'm looking at the bag he gave me medicated chick starter i didn't ask for it but my feed store won't let me exchange it can i still use it of am i out of luck until i get payed again?

 

[Sydney Acres]

what are the chances of a 11 week old bantam chick adopting chicks. My black bantam has darn near hurt her self trying to get into the chicks brooder (which is right under their coop) while making what i can only describe as purring noises what do y'all think is she trying to be friendly or trying attack the chicks (she and my "rooster" fight almost nonstop)?

And to those of whom who know it is OK to feed medicated chick starter to chicks under 2 and turning 12 weeks old? I just bought some what i thought was grower feed and now that i'm looking at the bag he gave me medicated chick starter i didn't ask for it but my feed store won't let me exchange it can i still use it of am i out of luck until i get payed again?

Yes, medicated chick starter is designed for any chick from hatch to 18 weeks old, so it is fine to feed at 0-2 weeks and 11-12 weeks of age.

Is this feed store set up where you go get the bag yourself and take it to the checkout, or where you pay for it sight unseen at checkout and someone brings it to your car from the warehouse in the back? If you didn't pick it up yourself, and if you don't want to use it, and you didn't ask for it, then a well-run feed store should exchange it, or allow you to return it for in-store credit, or a refund. I have had two incidents where I have even asked for the wrong food (so the mistake was totally my fault) and my feed store has exchanged an unopened bag. I have had a few incidents where I bought food and wasn't happy with it, and the store allowed me to return it even though it was opened, which I thought was exceptional. Have you asked to speak to the manager? The employees often don't have the authority to do refunds or exchanges, but managers are usually more cooperative. There is absolutely no reason for a feed store to be unwilling to exchange an unopened bag that was purchased within the last 2 weeks, or perhaps even a little longer depending on the manufacture date. Do you have an alternate feed store to use? I have at least 10 within reasonable driving distance, so maybe that's why my store has such great customer service.

Regarding your 11 week old bantam, she could be just trying to make friends, or trying to mother them, or wanting to eat them, or just trying to get away from someone that she fights with constantly. There's really no way to tell from what you've described. If she's housed with someone that's making her miserable, she might do better being moved to another pen, that is if they're actually fighting and not just playing. Constant fighting is very stressful to anyone, and is more than just establishing of a pecking order.

 

[common coop]

Thanks for confirmation Sydney - the girls are plenty calm now - in their nest boxes they can't see each other. After the hatch - I will situate them on the floor - much like you've suggested - so the chicks can move around. This is the first time I'm brooding eggs other than my own - so I'm really curious what effect the postal service will have on the eggs... Of course all I really need is a hen and a roo ...

 

[bumpercarr]

what are the chances of a 11 week old bantam chick adopting chicks. My black bantam has darn near hurt her self trying to get into the chicks brooder (which is right under their coop) while making what i can only describe as purring noises what do y'all think is she trying to be friendly or trying attack the chicks (she and my "rooster" fight almost nonstop)?

And to those of whom who know it is OK to feed medicated chick starter to chicks under 2 and turning 12 weeks old? I just bought some what i thought was grower feed and now that i'm looking at the bag he gave me medicated chick starter i didn't ask for it but my feed store won't let me exchange it can i still use it of am i out of luck until i get payed again?

I have an older chick that adopted the younger ones. She was 8 weeks old at the time. Acted just like you are describing, purring, trying to get into the brooder. I finally just put her in there and she adopted them. They even sleep under her still, they are now 8 weeks old. So, you can put her in there and see what happens. At first the smaller chicks were afraid of her, but she purred, calmed them down and now they don't leave her side for more than a minute or two. Very strange behavior and I'd never seen it before or since.

 

[Tabatha]

Well. I worked up the nerve to check under my new phoenix. She was already sitting on eggs when I got her. She's an egg theif. She has one white (probably hers), 5 blues, and 2 browns. I've had her for a week and the chick's are due anytime. The previous owner didn't know when she had started her brood. Anyway. This hen has sent half my flock to brood. My buff is on her first week and my silkie mutt is on day 2. I'm down to 2 or 3 eating eggs a day . I'll be glad when these heifers get it out of their systems! Btw...my dogs don't like it when everyone doesn't come out of the coop. They act like there is something wrong.

 

[winteree]

I have an older chick that adopted the younger ones. She was 8 weeks old at the time. Acted just like you are describing, purring, trying to get into the brooder. I finally just put her in there and she adopted them. They even sleep under her still, they are now 8 weeks old. So, you can put her in there and see what happens. At first the smaller chicks were afraid of her, but she purred, calmed them down and now they don't leave her side for more than a minute or two. Very strange behavior and I'd never seen it before or since.

I'll try it to see what happens, I'm mainly worried how my "rooster" will act

 

[winteree]

Yes, medicated chick starter is designed for any chick from hatch to 18 weeks old, so it is fine to feed at 0-2 weeks and 11-12 weeks of age.

Is this feed store set up where you go get the bag yourself and take it to the checkout, or where you pay for it sight unseen at checkout and someone brings it to your car from the warehouse in the back? If you didn't pick it up yourself, and if you don't want to use it, and you didn't ask for it, then a well-run feed store should exchange it, or allow you to return it for in-store credit, or a refund. I have had two incidents where I have even asked for the wrong food (so the mistake was totally my fault) and my feed store has exchanged an unopened bag. I have had a few incidents where I bought food and wasn't happy with it, and the store allowed me to return it even though it was opened, which I thought was exceptional. Have you asked to speak to the manager? The employees often don't have the authority to do refunds or exchanges, but managers are usually more cooperative. There is absolutely no reason for a feed store to be unwilling to exchange an unopened bag that was purchased within the last 2 weeks, or perhaps even a little longer depending on the manufacture date. Do you have an alternate feed store to use? I have at least 10 within reasonable driving distance, so maybe that's why my store has such great customer service.

Regarding your 11 week old bantam, she could be just trying to make friends, or trying to mother them, or wanting to eat them, or just trying to get away from someone that she fights with constantly. There's really no way to tell from what you've described. If she's housed with someone that's making her miserable, she might do better being moved to another pen, that is if they're actually fighting and not just playing. Constant fighting is very stressful to anyone, and is more than just establishing of a pecking order.

yeah they are fighting they peck at each others faces combs and feet nonstop, they take out each others feathers and he puffs up and try to jump on her face constantly, he chases her off her food and water after he has already eaten. Ive seen how the pecking order happens at my grandma's place many times before and it hasn't taken anywhere near this long (I've had them since Easter weekend). i really wanted to have at least one rooster but this one looks like he is going to become dinner if he causes any more damage to my hen at least i'm pretty sure that it is a hen

 

[winteree]

Well. I worked up the nerve to check under my new phoenix. She was already sitting on eggs when I got her. She's an egg theif. She has one white (probably hers), 5 blues, and 2 browns. I've had her for a week and the chick's are due anytime. The previous owner didn't know when she had started her brood. Anyway. This hen has sent half my flock to brood. My buff is on her first week and my silkie mutt is on day 2. I'm down to 2 or 3 eating eggs a day . I'll be glad when these heifers get it out of their systems! Btw...my dogs don't like it when everyone doesn't come out of the coop. They act like there is something wrong.

that's so nice my if my dog's where that close to my chickens i wouldn't have chickens much longer

 

[Tabatha]

that's so nice my if my dog's where that close to my chickens i wouldn't have chickens much longer

I have one pit bull that stays in the coop watching over the hens more than the chickens stay in the coop. He even licks the chick's faces, licks the chickens dry when they get baths or rained on, and will point like a bird dog if they wander too far away. This is a pic from my beagle last night. (The roo is in jail for fighting my silkie roo)