Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[mylittlehippie]

Is there anyway to coax a hen back onto eggs? My broody also decided to sleep in her run with her chicks instead of bringing them back into the nest. Is this normal? The run is fully enclosed but i worry about the temp...

 

[ochochicas]

Is there anyway to coax a hen back onto eggs? My broody also decided to sleep in her run with her chicks instead of bringing them back into the nest. Is this normal? The run is fully enclosed but i worry about the temp...

I think she will keep them warm regardless of where they decide to sleep for the night. Are there still eggs in the nest that haven't hatched yet?

 

[mylittlehippie]

I think she will keep them warm regardless of where they decide to sleep for the night.  Are there still eggs in the nest that haven't hatched yet?  

Yes

 

[bobbieschicks]

Just thought I would pop in here with my new development...This is Penny - my hatchery Dutch bantam - and she started sitting on eggs Wednesday! There are six eggs... she laid one more after I took the picture. Is there ANYTHING I need to know about this??? This is the absolutely first time I've had a hen go broody... actually, chickens are very new to me. So if there's anything special I should know, please say!! She does get off the nest to eat and drink... can I leave her with the rooster and other hen? So far the other hen hasn't bothered her at all... and the rooster doesn't seem to mind either. Can I just let her raise them with the "family"?

Sorry, I only had my iPhone yesterday and it was too small to answer. Congrats on the broody. You can leave her where she is. I'd mark the eggs with a permanent marker so you will know if other eggs are still being added. If it's a shared nest box the other hen might force her off the eggs to lay if she's laying. Just make sure she makes it back on the eggs at some point. If your weather is warm she will be off the eggs more then on the eggs. My broodies would stand over their eggs during 100F weather. Once the chicks hatch in approximately 21 days after last egg is laid by her, then just provide some sort of chick food for them to eat. I start off with medicated crumbles for the first few days while they are still in the nest because it comes in a small bag. Then I switch to Flockraiser crumbles so everyone can eat the same food. But if you give your layers pellets it won't matter because the chicks can't eat the pellets, I give crumbles.

 

[calichicken]

Saddest day ever!!! Yesterday my broody Peeps only chick died

Have no idea why, nothing obvious that I could see. So sad, she will not move unless I pick her up and take her out. yesterday she was looking for her chick and making the cluck noise to call her. I have 2 eggs that are in a bator now...put them there because they were shipped with loose aircells. They are on day 19 now, but not sure they will make it to hatch. How can I help my broody get back to her normal self? Will this pass or should I look at getting day old chicks for her? Just not sure how to help her.

 

[Fowl Menagerie]

calichicken, I would put her up away from the nest where she couldn't get back to it. a couple of days and she would probably be rejoining the flock. Chances of her taking a strange would be tricky depending on the hen. They have been known to kill young chicks that they do not recognize as their own. The safest way to prevent this from happening is to get some bantam hens to use for brooding. The big heavy breeds of standard chickens often are too heavy and when egg shell weakens during hatching, they step on them, crushing the eggs and many times accidentally killing the chicks. Some of the breeds of bantams such as the cochins can still cover several large eggs. Good Luck

 

[bobbieschicks]

Saddest day ever!!! Yesterday my broody Peeps only chick died   Have no idea why, nothing obvious that I could see. So sad, she will not move  unless I pick her up and take her out. yesterday she was  looking for her chick and making the cluck noise to call her. I have 2 eggs that are in a bator now...put them there because they were shipped with loose aircells. They are on day 19 now, but not sure they will make it to hatch. How can I help my broody get back to her normal self? Will this pass or should I look at getting day old chicks for her? Just not sure how to help her.

Oh no I'm so sorry. I had a chick die on day 4 and there was no obvious reason. I got shipped day olds from Meyers hatchery for two of my three broodies. If you don't do anything she will eventually go back to regular hen. You may want to wait until those other two eggs hatch and just give those to her.

If she's still on the nest put a few throw away eggs under her until you get the chicks or those other two chicks hatch out. Then slip the chicks under her once they arrive and watch her reaction. It's okay to do during the day, but she has to not see you doing it, so you have to sneak them. It's better to do it at dusk when she's calm and can hardly see.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Is there anyway to coax a hen back onto eggs? My broody also decided to sleep in her run with her chicks instead of bringing them back into the nest. Is this normal? The run is fully enclosed but i worry about the temp...

Once they leave the nest, that's the end of it for,her. She's done sitting. I would candle the remaining eggs and I think you'll find they are not developing. But if they are you will need to move them to another broody or put them in a bator.

And yes it's normal for them to leave the nest with the chicks and make a new place to sleep.

 

[calichicken]

Oh no I'm so sorry. I had a chick die on day 4 and there was no obvious reason. I got shipped day olds from Meyers hatchery for two of my three broodies. If you don't do anything she will eventually go back to regular hen. You may want to wait until those other two eggs hatch and just give those to her.

If she's still on the nest put a few throw away eggs under her until you get the chicks or those other two chicks hatch out. Then slip the chicks under her once they arrive and watch her reaction. It's okay to do during the day, but she has to not see you doing it, so you have to sneak them. It's better to do it at dusk when she's calm and can hardly see.

Think I am going to look into getting some day old chicks in case my 2 eggs don't hatch. I will try to slip them under her wen it gets dark just to be safe. She got up to dust a bit but went right back to sitting and making her little noises.

 

[calichicken]

calichicken, I would put her up away from the nest where she couldn't get back to it. a couple of days and she would probably be rejoining the flock. Chances of her taking a strange would be tricky depending on the hen. They have been known to kill young chicks that they do not recognize as their own. The safest way to prevent this from happening is to get some bantam hens to use for brooding. The big heavy breeds of standard chickens often are too heavy and when egg shell weakens during hatching, they step on them, crushing the eggs and many times accidentally killing the chicks. Some of the breeds of bantams such as the cochins can still cover several large eggs. Good Luck

Hi! Thank you for your help! My girl is a bantam cochin

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