Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[loobyloo88]

Hi all, I'm hatching my first chicks (I have 9 Welsummer bantam eggs), Ive been trying to get a broody to sit on them with no luck so they are in an incubator on day 3 at the minute...if i get a broody am i able to transfer my eggs from the incubator to under the hen safely? I'd love them to hatch with a mummy hen...

 

[TheGeekySheep]

I'm trying to plan ahead and figure out how to handle my broody and her chicks (fingers crossed that something hatches). I would like her to raise them within the flock (two other hens) but I'm nervous about the others hurting or killing the chicks. I have a coop with roost inside a pole barn, and a 7x15 run on the other side of the wall outside with a pop door connecting. Broody is in a 2x3 wire pen within the coop but I know her chicks will outgrow that pretty fast.

How does this sound: Make a wire divider that fences off 1/3 of the run, place a shelter (dog house?) and food and water in that section. The divider will be removable so on days I can supervise everyone I can leave it open, but during the work week I can leave them separated and safe until they're big enough to hold their own. Do you think that will work? Or am I just worrying too much and should just let mama hen and her chicks out of the broody pen from day 1? She was top of the pecking order before she went broody, maybe she'll hold her position?

 

[bumpercarr]

I'm trying to plan ahead and figure out how to handle my broody and her chicks (fingers crossed that something hatches). I would like her to raise them within the flock (two other hens) but I'm nervous about the others hurting or killing the chicks. I have a coop with roost inside a pole barn, and a 7x15 run on the other side of the wall outside with a pop door connecting. Broody is in a 2x3 wire pen within the coop but I know her chicks will outgrow that pretty fast.

How does this sound: Make a wire divider that fences off 1/3 of the run, place a shelter (dog house?) and food and water in that section. The divider will be removable so on days I can supervise everyone I can leave it open, but during the work week I can leave them separated and safe until they're big enough to hold their own. Do you think that will work? Or am I just worrying too much and should just let mama hen and her chicks out of the broody pen from day 1? She was top of the pecking order before she went broody, maybe she'll hold her position?

It really depends on your flock dynamics. If you have a flock that gets along pretty well, you can probably just let the broody take care of keeping the others away from her chicks. It sounds like you only have 3 chickens in your coop/run. 105 square feet should be enough for the broody and her chicks and the other two. If you have more chickens than that, I'd probably do your plan to block off or start free ranging.

 

[TheGeekySheep]

It really depends on your flock dynamics. If you have a flock that gets along pretty well, you can probably just let the broody take care of keeping the others away from her chicks. It sounds like you only have 3 chickens in your coop/run. 105 square feet should be enough for the broody and her chicks and the other two. If you have more chickens than that, I'd probably do your plan to block off or start free ranging.

Thanks, yes it's just three hens, broody and her two sisters. I guess I will observe closely and see what transpires. They should have plenty of space to stay out of each other's way.

 

[fisherlady]

Hi all, I'm hatching my first chicks (I have 9 Welsummer bantam eggs), Ive been trying to get a broody to sit on them with no luck so they are in an incubator on day 3 at the minute...if i get a broody am i able to transfer my eggs from the incubator to under the hen safely? I'd love them to hatch with a mummy hen...

Yes, you can easily transfer eggs from an incubator to a broody, but one thing to avoid is giving the hen eggs which will hatch within 7-10 days of when she started brooding. Although an experienced broody may be fine with only setting a few days and then ending up with chicks the general rule of thumb is to not give hens either chicks or eggs due to hatch before she has been broody for about 10 days...and I would recommend this for a new broody, since you have nothing to use as a guideline for how she will be with chicks.

 

[ChickyChickens]

My broodies chicks are getting so big now ( they are only 4 days old but still........that's old....isn't it?????)I love her and her chicks solo much!!!!!

 

[Gardenlady2]

My broody had chicks hatch on Tuesday and Wednesday. Sadly they died last night. They were acting fine yesterday evening, but found them dead this morning. Mama hopped out of the nest when I fed the rest of the flock this morning and I found their bodies. Don't know if she accidentally crushed them or if they were overheated. There is still one more egg in the nest & she's still sitting on it. Today is day 23. At what point do I give up on the other one hatching? Will she stop being broody or will I have to break her? Such a sad day.

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

My broody had chicks hatch on Tuesday and Wednesday. Sadly they died last night. They were acting fine yesterday evening, but found them dead this morning. Mama hopped out of the nest when I fed the rest of the flock this morning and I found their bodies. Don't know if she accidentally crushed them or if they were overheated. There is still one more egg in the nest & she's still sitting on it. Today is day 23. At what point do I give up on the other one hatching? Will she stop being broody or will I have to break her? Such a sad day.

I am SO sorry!

 

[OzarkCountryGirl]

My broody had chicks hatch on Tuesday and Wednesday. Sadly they died last night.

I'm so sorry.

I know they say chicks can do without food and water for the first couple of days, but when it's hot out I put in a shallow dish of water out for them anyway, and they are always drinking within hours of hatching. It's not only hot, but humid here right now and that makes it even hotter, and seems even more so at night. I'd give her a couple more days on the egg, then break her up. Sitting through two hatches back-to-back is really, really hard on a hen. And that's if she even sits through another full second hatch.

 

[sssharon]

So sorry to hear about your chicks. It's so exciting waiting for those chicks to be born and I imagine it is heartbreaking when that happens. I incubate my eggs and have had pretty good luck with that. Anyway I hope you have better luck next time.