Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[dreweysmom]

We have had 2 hatch and they are adorable, we are waiting on the other 4 which should be by the weekend.

 

[dreweysmom]

SO DARN CUTE

 

[Kaylish]

Hello!

I've been working my way thru this thread since my Cochin went broody 3 weeks ago - but it's a first for both of us and I need some imput.

The background:
She sat for almost a week before I gave her eggs. I tried to move her to a box (all I had at the time) in the corner of the coop before she had the eggs but she insisted on "her" nesting box which is about 2 feet off the ground with no ramp. I figured I could just "fence" her in come lockdown and then move her with the chicks after they hatched. BUT now we're going to be out of town for 2 1/2 days before the hatch date (due this Sunday, going to be gone Thurs thru Sat afternoon). So I bought a small wire kennel and set it up in the coop on Sunday afternoon - used a 3" deep box lid for the nest which leave about a foot in front of the nest for food and water. I moved the eggs while she was out for her daily break and then locked her in. It took a minute but she settled down and stayed put until I opened the kennel yesterday. However she went back to her old box and I had to put her back in the kennel and lock her in. She was very happy to settle right back down on the nest.

I'm concerned that if I have my petsitter (aka step-son -good with the chickens but not experienced at all) let her out she won't go back to the right nest and he won't be able to move her. Also a bit worried that one of the little ones will get out of the kennel and get hurt.

Now the Questions:
When a broody "locksdown" how long typicaly before hatch do they stop getting up? and how long after hatching do they stay?

Would it be better to try and set up a small pen in the garage with the kennel inside so that she can get up when she wants and can't get back to her original nest box?

Any advice, warnings, or other options would be wonderful.

TIA
~Amisa

 

[Gardenlady2]

I've only had one experience so far- My broody was off the nest for quite a while the day before hatch. I think she even got up briefly the morning of hatch day...

 

[cwrite]

@Kaylish I've also only done one hatch, but my broody didn't get up for 3 days before the hatch and 2 after so it might depend entirely on the hen which isn't very helpful.

 

[fisherlady]

Hello!

I've been working my way thru this thread since my Cochin went broody 3 weeks ago - but it's a first for both of us and I need some imput.

The background:
She sat for almost a week before I gave her eggs. I tried to move her to a box (all I had at the time) in the corner of the coop before she had the eggs but she insisted on "her" nesting box which is about 2 feet off the ground with no ramp. I figured I could just "fence" her in come lockdown and then move her with the chicks after they hatched. BUT now we're going to be out of town for 2 1/2 days before the hatch date (due this Sunday, going to be gone Thurs thru Sat afternoon). So I bought a small wire kennel and set it up in the coop on Sunday afternoon - used a 3" deep box lid for the nest which leave about a foot in front of the nest for food and water. I moved the eggs while she was out for her daily break and then locked her in. It took a minute but she settled down and stayed put until I opened the kennel yesterday. However she went back to her old box and I had to put her back in the kennel and lock her in. She was very happy to settle right back down on the nest.

I'm concerned that if I have my petsitter (aka step-son -good with the chickens but not experienced at all) let her out she won't go back to the right nest and he won't be able to move her. Also a bit worried that one of the little ones will get out of the kennel and get hurt.

Now the Questions:
When a broody "locksdown" how long typicaly before hatch do they stop getting up? and how long after hatching do they stay?

Would it be better to try and set up a small pen in the garage with the kennel inside so that she can get up when she wants and can't get back to her original nest box?

Any advice, warnings, or other options would be wonderful.

TIA
~Amisa

My experience with hens is that before hatch some sit tight the last two days and some still get up for a quick break even up to hatch day, so there is no good way to predict her activity because it just varies too much from hen to hen..... however, the greatest majority of our hens will set tight to the nest for at least 24 to48 hours after the first chick hatches, the biggest issue with that is sometimes they will broody poo in the nest if they have been reluctant to leave which creates a need to clean their nest.

Given a choice (given your circumstance) I would lock her into a pen which allows her room to get off of the nest for food and water, this can mean an enclosure with just 4 square feet total.... that allows room for the nest in a corner and a bit of space in front of the nest for a food and water container. That would suffice for a broody for a few days. I expect that given a chance she will continue to try to go back to her old nest.... nest confusion has been our most common battle with hens hatching in the coop, so I understand what you have gone through.

The pen needs to have one more thing though.... you have to 'chick proof' it by making sure the spacing of the wire/cage bars is small enough that a chick can't get through, which usually means adding hardware cloth around the bottom of it. I prefer the half inch hardware cloth, I cut it to be 6 or 8 inches high and attach it securely around the base of the cage, making sure to include the door and provide overlaps or overhangs if needed around the door to prevent any gaps when the door is closed. A chick who can get out of a cage can rarely get back in and it won't end well... I would be a good idea to make sure any nest box (if you even use some type of box) has a low lip on it so the chick who falls out the front (and I have had plenty do it) can easily return to mama. We rarely use a box to contain the nest anymore to avoid any issue... we just provide a few secure square feet and put the nest in a corner of it on the floor.

Add marbles or small rocks to the waterer base to prevent chicks drowning also... and make sure the feed available is chick starter, it won't hurt the hen at all to be on chick starter for the duration. We switch our hens over to the higher protein chick starter when they are setting anyway since they don't need the extra calcium in the layer feed when they are in broody mode.

I'm glad you have a responsible chicken sitter, explain some of the 'problems' he may find and simple fixes for him so he will feel more prepared and he will be much more comfortable... make up a spare 'nest' or the materials needed for one and store it somewhere handy so if there is a problem he can simply swap it out if need be. Make sure the other hens can't get to the spare nest or they will either use it or rip it apart checking for goodies (my hens dive into any container of hay I set down and go to town scratching and digging through it)

Good luck, I hope the hatch goes well!

 

[A6chickenhome]

My broody had her first hatch last Thursday, so the babies will be a week old tomorrow. On hatch day I moved momma and nest into a wire dog crate inside the coop. Babies are doing great and my hen is a really attentive momma. I have seen her leave the crate and cluck at the chicks, I assume to encourage them to follow her out. They won't budge, so momma just goes right back in and sets the nest again. Does anyone know when the chicks generally leave the nest with the broody hen? Also, how old are they when they can handle the colder temps?

 

[ochochicas]

My chicks left the nest when they were 1 day old. I did not keep them in the coop with the other chickens though. They had their own stall with a dog crate in it for nighttime sleeping. I'd put them in the coop at night inside the dog kennel. By the time they were old enough to sleep outside of the crate, they already knew how to go back to the coop on their own. What kind of chicks do you have? Maybe they are just a timid breed. Mine were all very brave and wanted out of the nest as soon as they hatched.

 

[A6chickenhome]

My chicks left the nest when they were 1 day old.  I did not keep them in the coop with the other chickens though.  They had their own stall with a dog crate in it for nighttime sleeping.  I'd put them in the coop at night inside the dog kennel.  By the time they were old enough to sleep outside of the crate, they already knew how to go back to the coop on their own.  What kind of chicks do you have?  Maybe they are just a timid breed.  Mine were all very brave and wanted out of the nest as soon as they hatched.  

My broody is a Black Austrolorp and the chicks are two Cream Legbars. Are you familiar with the Cream Legbar breed? I don't know much about the temperament. Thanks for relating your experience with this.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Hello fellow brooders...I haven't been on here for some time...whoa, life just got busy and I couldn't justify "fun" computer time for while....and then I was out of town (out of state) for awhile helping my oldest daughter with her new little baby on a farm with very limited internet connection. (Yeeks....I'm a grandma now!

)

At any rate...I've got a question...who on this thread has hands on experience using bantam Cochins for brooding.

Sadly my faithful broody Silkie Oma-San was taken by a very determined Cooper's hawk this month (who gained a foothold during my absence).

So...After a local search for a new brooder, I am looking at purchasing 2 bantam Cochin hens that are about 2 years old that are experienced brooders, if we can work out delivery and pickup...they are about 1 1/2 hours away driving time (3 hrs round trip).

I've never owned a bantam Cochin. Are they similar to Silkies in size, brooding power, and general upkeep?

After reading up about the Cochin, and conversely the Silkie, I've discovered I was ignorantly bliss with my Silkie in that even though I live in the wet Northwest, she did fine as an outdoor bird. She was given access to a warm hutch with covered area below, but she always chose to stay in the run scratching in the dirt and the inevitable rain...but I never had a problem with her becoming chilled or ill. Thick bark chips in her run kept her from becoming a mud ball, and I trimmed her foot feathers periodically to help prevent matting....periodic dusting for mites...and she was a content camper.

In other words I never read the manual on Silkies that told me I should be putting them inside during wet weather or they get chilled...ditto the manuals say with bantam Cochins.

All to ask...what will taking care of a bantam Cochin really look like? I am expecting (after quarantine) to put them in my broody hutch with run like my Silkie was and continue life as before (hopefully without the Cooper's Hawk this time).

Thanks
Lady of McCamley