Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bumpercarr]

That's great to know! I love the look of Buff Brahmas, so maybe I will get some one day and not have to worry about messy legs

As far as I know there shouldn't have been silkies anywhere on her property.... I really need productive egg layers

That is helpful information. Chicken genetics boggles my mind. Every once and a while I end up on some chicken genetics forum and my eyes glaze over a little

Oh I forgot to mention, I checked the little lavender chick...only four toes!

I don't have buffs, I have partridge brahmas and dark brahmas. Here is a picture of a pair that was lost to a dog attack about 6 weeks ago. I also lost my silkie mix broody that I really wanted to hatch some eggs for me this year. Right now I'm in the rebuilding stage, I have an 8 month old pullet, a 12 week old pullet, two 8 week old cockerels, two 5 week old pullets and four 5 week old cockerels (I think) and then 4 in the brooder that are sex undetermined -- all Brahmas.

 

[chickenlisa]

Here is my broody hen "Meanie" in her new digs....She is on day 15 now, so it won't be too long now.....and they have space to grow up in there quite a bit until I need to move them to a big pen.

 

[bumpercarr]

Here is my broody hen "Meanie" in her new digs....She is on day 15 now, so it won't be too long now.....and they have space to grow up in there quite a bit until I need to move them to a big pen.

Nice broodie pen! I love that "get away from me" look that they get when they are sitting on eggs!

 

[Sydney Acres]

Quote:
There are several breeds with five toes, as Dorkings are a foundation breed for many of the "newer" purebreds. But they don't have feathered legs.

 

[Sydney Acres]

My light Sussex is broody again. Have locked her out the shed now. I feel really bad not letting her sit but I can't have anymore chicks. If she doesn't stop in a couple of weeks I will probs give in and ask my friend if they want any eggs hatching then will give them the chicks when she's done with them.

Hi Johnn,
If you don't want her to brood, I've posted this information about breaking a broody within a week, and have had many people say that it worked well for them. Hear is a cut and paste copy of the information:

"The wire bottom cage is the best known gold standard for breaking a brood, but my main breed (Red Dorking) is a very heavy hen that broods frequently, so I didn't want them on wire. I tried many of the other well known techniques and nothing worked. Eventually I found a very reliable technique that doesn't require a wire bottom cage, but works just as well.

Build a small wire run. Mine is about 30" wide, 30" high, and 5' long. It is made out of 1X2" welded wire, just four side panels held together by cable ties (it could be made out of other materials, but this is very stable because of the frequent welds, and has lasted for almost 10 years). The top is divided into two parts. Half is attached by cable ties on the sides and one end. The other half is about 4" longer than the remaining opening on top. One end is cable tied onto the first half (the only remaining unattached edge of the top's first half, spanning across the center of the run), so that it can open and close like a hatch. The other end has the extra length bent down over the end side panel so that the hatch doesn't fall down into the run. I prevent the hatch from opening with a simple latch, which isn't usually necessary, but one hen years ago figured out that she could get out of the run by repeatedly flying up into the hatch until it opened. There is no bottom on the run. It is very lightweight, very secure, and easy to move. It was easy and cheap to build, and can be disassembled and stored flat when not in use, if desired.

My birds free range. I put the run somewhere on the property where the broody cannot see her nest, or anything near her nest. I chose an area that is protected from the weather so she won't get too hot, too cold, or wet, and is very safe from predators and harassment. There should ideally be some dirt to dustbathe, and some grass to graze, but that's not essential. What is absolutely necessary is that there not be anything on the ground that can be used to build a nest -- no leaves, no straw, no shavings, no dry grass, no bedding of any kind. Just food, water, plain ground or lawn to sit on, enough room to pace a little as the brood starts to transition out, and no reminder or sight of her nest or eggs. At night I put her in a pet carrier with cardboard on the bottom, covered with a towel, and put her in the garage (or barn, or coop, or spare bedroom -- just somewhere that is no where near her nest, and is 100% predator proof). I've had 100% success at breaking broods with this method, with 90% of hens taking 3-4 days, and the remaining hens taking either 2 or 5-6 days. And no wire pressed into the plucked, bare brood spot on their chest."

After that post, I got several PM's and one post on the thread saying that it worked perfectly. But it does take typically 3-4 days, and once up to 6 days, so don't give up too early. I once had a bird that had always taken 3 days to break her brood, but that time seemed to be done after the second day. So on day three I let her back with the flock instead of putting her in the run. She foraged and flocked with the other birds for almost the entire day, but by the evening she was back on her nest again. I put her back in the coop for the evening, and back in the broody breaking run the next day, expecting that one more day would do it. But apparently the clock gets reset the moment they see their nest, and she took 4 additional days in the run. So now I'm not anxious to get them out of the run. If there's even a hint of broodiness, they stay in. But it's a nice place for them, and it's not forever, so it's definitely worth making sure they're finished.

 

[bumpercarr]

There are several breeds with five toes, as Dorkings are a foundation breed for many of the "newer" purebreds. But they don't have feathered legs.

I was thinking silkie because of the feathered legs, but only if they had five toes. Otherwise, there are a few breeds that have feathered legs.....Cochins, Langshans, Favorelles, Brahmas, Sultans and Silkies come to mind as the most popular, but I'm sure that there are more out there. I love the look of Dorkings, if I ever move beyond Brahmas I may go for Dorkings or Buckeyes, I like both of those breeds a lot...but, no more room at the inn right now!!!!

 

[mebberry4]

I don't have buffs, I have partridge brahmas and dark brahmas. Here is a picture of a pair that was lost to a dog attack about 6 weeks ago. I also lost my silkie mix broody that I really wanted to hatch some eggs for me this year. Right now I'm in the rebuilding stage, I have an 8 month old pullet, a 12 week old pullet, two 8 week old cockerels, two 5 week old pullets and four 5 week old cockerels (I think) and then 4 in the brooder that are sex undetermined -- all Brahmas.

What an adorable pair! I'm so sorry you lost them, especially like that The partridge color is very pretty. Sounds like you are off to a good start with rebuilding your flock.

 

[mebberry4]

I was thinking silkie because of the feathered legs, but only if they had five toes.  Otherwise, there are a few breeds that have feathered legs.....Cochins, Langshans, Favorelles, Brahmas, Sultans and Silkies come to mind as the most popular, but I'm sure that there are more out there.   I love the look of Dorkings, if I ever move beyond Brahmas I may go for Dorkings or Buckeyes, I like both of those breeds a lot...but, no more room at the inn right now!!!!

I'm betting one of the sultans was involved somewhere down the line. I can't wait to see what this little one look like as it grows. I will post update pics as well

 

[daniellea2912]

At what age do you all put your chicks in with your established flocks? For some reason I think I read 8 weeks was a good time to do it, but there are so many pages on the thread to look thru. My 7 chicks are 6-7 weeks old (6 are brooder raised, one is broody raised but momma hen is weaning her- she goes out with the flock about half the day and roosts with the flock). A few are starting to really try to get out of their grow out area of the coop to get up on the big girls roost at night... 2 are quite obsessed with trying to escape and about gave me a heart attack tonight when they succeeded and I couldn't find them with the rest of the chicks! They were up on the roosts but being pecked at until they found a good spot. Secondly- what do you feed when they are all together? Can I just mix chick and layer feed together half and half (they have oyster/eggshells and grit offered at all times) or do I have to switch to an all flock type feed?

 

[Tabatha]

At what age do you all put your chicks in with your established flocks? For some reason I think I read 8 weeks was a good time to do it, but there are so many pages on the thread to look thru. My 7 chicks are 6-7 weeks old (6 are brooder raised, one is broody raised but momma hen is weaning her- she goes out with the flock about half the day and roosts with the flock). A few are starting to really try to get out of their grow out area of the coop to get up on the big girls roost at night... 2 are quite obsessed with trying to escape and about gave me a heart attack tonight when they succeeded and I couldn't find them with the rest of the chicks! They were up on the roosts but being pecked at until they found a good spot. Secondly- what do you feed when they are all together? Can I just mix chick and layer feed together half and half (they have oyster/eggshells and grit offered at all times) or do I have to switch to an all flock type feed?

If my hens hatch and brood, I leave them in with the flock, personally. If I brood them, then as soon as the get big girl feathers I put them in. They seem to go their own way and the rest of the flock goes their's.