Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[fisherlady]

Yes my broody's and pullets share a coop. I guess im lucky & have gentle birds. They don't bother the babies. One of the 6 week olds wlil be going to a new home 5 days after the new guys are due to hatch.
I guess as long as their original mom keeps giving in and covering them I'll just keep taking her down (im afraid to put them up on roost because one is a frizzle and ive heard they can't fly as well & my roost is about 2 1/2 - 3 ft from the ground)
This is their "real" mom

This is my other broody

They are cuties... I can understand your concern.... you may want to create a temporary roost bar at a lower level for them to learn on, or provide a ramp or step to reduce the height issue. We made a 'chick roost' by simply screwing together a l piece of 2" wide scrap wood with a couple of scrap pieces of 2x6s. The 2x6s (each cut to about 12") on their side provides a wider base to prevent the roost from feeling wobbly. It is only elevated a short hop off of the floor and allows the little ones to practice.

 

[CandylandRanch]

They are cuties...  I can understand your concern.... you may want to create a temporary roost bar at a lower level for them to learn on, or provide a ramp or step to reduce the height issue.  We made a 'chick roost' by simply screwing together a l piece of 2" wide scrap wood with a couple of scrap pieces of 2x6s.  The 2x6s (each cut to about 12") on their side provides a wider base to prevent the roost from feeling wobbly. It is only elevated a short hop off of the floor and allows the little ones to practice.

I agree. Make a "training roost " for the babes. Sounds like such a great little family

 

[CandylandRanch]

A few hours ago my broody got off the nest for a drink and I leaned over the eggs and looked for pipping, none that I saw but I did hear peeping!!! Any ideas on how long it can take from internal pip? Can mom hear them making sounds? I cried when I heard the peeping,.. It was pure magic..

 

[kristin07035]

I agree. Make a "training roost " for the babes. Sounds like such a great little family

Yes I do have this rooster bar in the coop but no one likes it/goes on it

 

[CandylandRanch]

Yes I do have this rooster bar in the coop but no one likes it/goes on it

Hmm.. I must say that little roost is too funny. I can imagine how my kids would be if they were chicks, and they wouldn't want to go on the kiddie one, they would want to go on the adult one. How about a step ladder or ramp to the taller one? Might be more work than its worth, but it's an idea.. Or maybe if you moved broody off the floor until it gets closer to hatch and that might force them to go on the roost with real mom?
Whatever you do I'm sure it will all work out just fine

 

[Lady of McCamley]

A few hours ago my broody got off the nest for a drink and I leaned over the eggs and looked for pipping, none that I saw but I did hear peeping!!! Any ideas on how long it can take from internal pip? Can mom hear them making sounds? I cried when I heard the peeping,.. It was pure magic..

It can take 24 hours from initial pip to final hatch, or longer.

But you are hearing peeping It won't be long now....just wait....you can do it.

Lady of McCamley

EDITED TO ADD: and yes, totally, momma hears them peeping AND calls back to them clucking encouragement to keep pecking away!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

That's so beautiful to visualize. The only thing I would wonder about would be when the new chicks come if the pullets would bully them or not?
I guess the question is Were you planning on letting broody hatch and brood her babies in the coop with everyone else?

Totally depends on the pullets...some are good with the babies, and some are not.

I seem to get the ones that don't and had to separate my grow out pens and the 4 week olds were picking on and chasing the day olds....NOT acceptable. I suspicion it was because the 4 week olds were brooded by a dominant hen that did not respect the Silkie banty (she got NO respect, poor girl, from my LF flock).j

So you can try it, but watch closely and have a means of separating them if need be.

Lady of McCamley

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I've been doing some extensive study on chicken genetics, it is really fascinating! The buff gene is actually a little bit of a mystery, I haven't found anyone that has figured out how the last bit of black has been eliminated to make a truly buff bird. I don't have any buffs, but I know from some brahma breeders that they tend to be a little difficult in temperament compared to most other colors of brahmas. Brahmas are a Columbian patterned buff, not a true no black buff. Similar to my darks (which are really silver penciled) whose temperaments are very different from my gold partridge (wild type). A true partridge (not wild type) is red instead of gold, I haven't figured out where to get the red enhancer yet to get that color into my breeding project.

You are correct that barring is dominant...it only requires one copy of the gene to get barred birds. The nice thing is, if you are trying to eliminate barring you can easily choose the birds that carry the barring gene because they will all show barring if they have a copy of the gene. Other traits, such as vulture hocks, are recessive and require two copies of the gene to show. So, you can have a male that is carrying the gene and a female that is carrying the gene, breed them and end up with vulture hocks in 25% of the chicks even though neither parent shows vulture hocks and 50% of the chicks will carry the gene but not show vulture hocks, 25% would be vulture hock free. Another thing to keep in mind is that most of the time (there are some exceptions) the color of the pullets will originate with the male and the color of the males will be a split between the male and female. That's assuming that the genetics of the colors of the parent birds are pretty pure.

Anyway, all boring stuff to most people I'm sure.

Not boring stuff at all...thank you for sharing this.

BTW...what is a good place to start to learn this stuff. I am picking up bits and pieces on BYC, but I know I do not have my head anywhere close to wrapped around this. On one breed thread, a knowledgeable poster looked at a photo of chicks and could tick of the genetics that were present....that long list of letters and plus/minus that leaves my head spinning yet.

Is there a "Chicken Genetics for Dummies?"

Thanks again for sharing.
Lady of McCamley

 

[vpatt]

So my only two hens that are laying both decided to lay at the same time today. And of course we all have to use the favorite nesting box. Since the favorite spot was taken (by broody hen and eggs), and second favorite spot was taken by one hen, we had to have the other laying hen hop in the box with the broody. That is actually pretty silly looking since they are sisters and solid black and I still can't really tell them apart.

So broody hen hops off the nest for a break and a snack (probably her first one in a couple days), but all is good in the hood since her sister is keeping the eggs warm. Broody came back and kicked her sister off the nest since the other chicken had finished laying. This all took place over the span of 5-10 minutes. One egg did get moved from the nest, but it was still very warm and I popped it right back under her.

Question for any of you with more broody experience: Every once in a while when my broody get off the nest (by me removing her or voluntarily), she has what I can only describe as a 3 second freak out, where she squaks loudly and runs-flies-flaps wings across the yard. Then goes back to normal. Has anyone else ever seen this little show?

So my only two hens that are laying both decided to lay at the same time today. And of course we all have to use the favorite nesting box. Since the favorite spot was taken (by broody hen and eggs), and second favorite spot was taken by one hen, we had to have the other laying hen hop in the box with the broody. That is actually pretty silly looking since they are sisters and solid black and I still can't really tell them apart.

So broody hen hops off the nest for a break and a snack (probably her first one in a couple days), but all is good in the hood since her sister is keeping the eggs warm. Broody came back and kicked her sister off the nest since the other chicken had finished laying. This all took place over the span of 5-10 minutes. One egg did get moved from the nest, but it was still very warm and I popped it right back under her.

Question for any of you with more broody experience: Every once in a while when my broody get off the nest (by me removing her or voluntarily), she has what I can only describe as a 3 second freak out, where she squaks loudly and runs-flies-flaps wings across the yard. Then goes back to normal. Has anyone else ever seen this little show?

My chicks are 2 weeks old tomorrow. This morning when I opened the coop all the ladies came out as usual. While I was setting out the water and feed for broody and Babies who stay in the coop.....mama did this tornado thing. Flew squawking across the yard and then came back to the coop. She walked around on the ground clucking. I believe she may have wanted the babies to come outside.....but they were in the feed dish. She went back in with them and I shut the door. I will try Monday and see if she will take them outside. I will be home all day and can keep an eye out. Do the broodys usually act this way with chicks? I'm pretty certain she has never hatched out chicks before.

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

My chicks are 2 weeks old tomorrow. This morning when I opened the coop all the ladies came out as usual. While I was setting out the water and feed for broody and Babies who stay in the coop.....mama did this tornado thing. Flew squawking across the yard and then came back to the coop. She walked around on the ground clucking. I believe she may have wanted the babies to come outside.....but they were in the feed dish. She went back in with them and I shut the door. I will try Monday and see if she will take them outside. I will be home all day and can keep an eye out. Do the broodys usually act this way with chicks? I'm pretty certain she has never hatched out chicks before.

It's a funny show, isn't it?

. My broodys sister pushed her out of the best along with the eggs today. One of the eggs was colder. I don't know if they will hatch now, but it will be a miracle if they do!