Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[ApiaryandAviary]

Hey everyone!  Been a long time since I've posted in this thread.  Have been so thankful for the input I got here in the past!



I want to do a survey!  For those of you that have experienced using a broody hen to hatch and brood:

Is there any breed that has a tendency to help the new youngsters become part of the flock as they become "teenagers" and come into adolescence?  Have you experienced a hen that continued to help them become part of the flock as they are coming into adulthood rather than ditching them and even becoming aggressive toward them herself?


Is this a "breed tendency" or is it an "individual bird tendency".


 

From my own experiences, Cochin Bantams are great broody hens. They are very protective of their nest, eggs and hatchlings. I have noticed the Orpington pecks at the little ones, not a lot of patience for the wee ones. I use Cochin Bantams to sit on Orpington eggs. We have discussed this before at other forums on this site. Hope you can locate it. Currently I am not trying to get any hens to sit on a nest. All eggs are gathered up and what we do not use immediately is mashed in with their rice and oats and in a pan on the grill to give back to them when the mash cools down a bit. Omega Super greens, sprouted BOSS, Feeds, grains, rabbit, duck, fish feeds are mixed in with Flock Raiser and Layena as a super mash left to sit with a yeast packet per 5 gallon bucket, a 1 pound bag of brown sugar, molasses, Braggs Vinegar with the mother and when I dish it up is when I add the cooled cooked egg mixture to this mixture. They love the brown rice and cooked oats. Some of the grains.
Two Mixes.
One sits in a bucket for three days and one gets grilled with lard and they both get mixed together and fed to them immediately after mixing. Great for their feathers.
The lard is by SMITHFIELD RECIPE READY.

 

[mammat]

I need some advice on my unique situation. My daughter left some eggs under our broody silkies. By the time I discovered this they were already viable so I left them. I have no idea how far along they were but I had one hatch about three weeks ago, one about a week ago and 3 in the last two days. One is hatching this morning and I think there are 4 left. When I discovered them they were on the floor of my silkie coop with SIX yes 6 broody silkies sitting on them. Now that some babies have hatched two of the moms do not seem to be broody anymore. I tried to remove them from the coop and back to the rest of the flock but they freaked and wanted back in. The issue is they are scratching and disturbing the rest of the incubating eggs and mommas. They are good with the already hatched babies but I am afraid they will hurt the newborns with the violent scratching. Please advise- would you remove them or let them stay. Ideally I could remove them and the babies to another area and let the rest sit but I do not have anywhere to do that as this was not planned!

 

[MrsBachbach]

I need some advice on my unique situation.  My daughter left some eggs under our broody silkies. By the time I discovered this they were already viable so I left them. I have no idea how far along they were  but I had one hatch about three weeks ago, one about a week ago and 3 in the last two days.  One is hatching this morning and I think there are 4 left.  When I discovered them they were on the floor of my silkie coop with SIX yes 6 broody silkies sitting on them.  Now that some babies have hatched two of the moms do not seem to be broody anymore. I tried to remove them from the coop and back to the rest of the flock but they freaked and wanted back in.  The issue is they are scratching and disturbing the rest of the incubating eggs and mommas.  They are good with the already hatched babies but I am afraid they will hurt the newborns with the violent scratching. Please advise- would you remove them or let them stay. Ideally I could remove them and the babies to another area and let the rest sit but I do not have anywhere to do that as this was not planned!

I'm sure the sitting mamas will take care of the incubating eggs. At least those that are not broody can take care of the already hatched chicks. Since you have no where to move them, probably best to let them stay.
Are there any nestsboxes at ground level you can move the sitters and their eggs to? At night of course.

 

[mammat]

No Crazy girls just sat in the middle of the floor! When I discovered them I put a low lipped box in there and moved everybody but the next morning the girls had rolled all the eggs back into the middle of the floor so I just left them. I think I will try again today. They are in my broody coop

 

[mammat]

 

[suyoder]

Awww!! Lol - broody silkies are too cute!! :-D

 

[bobbieschicks]

Too cute! Typical silkies. Mine do that too at times. Lately she's preferred the busiest nestbox and that makes for lots of commotion. Since you weren't intending to hatch out chicks and you didn't spend a bunch of money on expensive eggs, I say leave them and see what happens. It's likely that the ones who are broody and the ones who aren't will still huddle over those eggs and chicks. Silky girls are that determined to be mommas. If by some chance they don't hatch the eggs, I'd say the eggs weren't going to hatch anyway. You could candle them to determine if they are still viable. Silky eggs aren't too hard to see thru with a good flashlight. But my advice is leave them alone, once the hens move away from the eggs the eggs probably were finished.

 

[sktlmt]

Hey everyone!  Been a long time since I've posted in this thread.  Have been so thankful for the input I got here in the past!



I want to do a survey!  For those of you that have experienced using a broody hen to hatch and brood:

Is there any breed that has a tendency to help the new youngsters become part of the flock as they become "teenagers" and come into adolescence?  Have you experienced a hen that continued to help them become part of the flock as they are coming into adulthood rather than ditching them and even becoming aggressive toward them herself?


Is this a "breed tendency" or is it an "individual bird tendency".


 

My austerlope and EE hatched 6 chicks together last summer. They took them to the roosting bar at 4 or 5 weeks. I would go out at night and lift their wings to do a head count. They slept this way for many weeks. They kept them close for around 12 weeks and they still hang out together. The only time my austerlope is aggressive is at the feeding bowl. She is a true mother hen. I was hoping she would go broody again this year but no such luck

 

[sahmhomesteader]

Eeeeek! Broody has at least one of the two eggs hatched because I just saw the chick! I had no idea because I saw no pips last night when she was off the nest and heard no noises. I am so curious about the other egg BUT I am resisting the urge to lift her up to look. I am so excited!!

P.s. this is my first time lol

 

[ApiaryandAviary]

My austerlope and EE hatched 6 chicks together last summer. They took them to the roosting bar at 4 or 5 weeks. I would go out at night and lift their wings to do a head count. They slept this way for many weeks. They kept them close for around 12 weeks and they still hang out together. The only time my austerlope is aggressive is at the feeding bowl. She is a true mother hen. I was hoping she would go broody again this year but no such luck

I love my Australorp also.