Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[fisherlady]

Thanks for the adorable pics. I needed it today.

My broody changed her mind a few days ago & I can't get her back into the mood. (And, I was going to pick up my eggs tomorrow!) DD wants to compare broody hen vs incubator. I thought it was a cute idea. Since the hatching is for my daughter's project (and not just to add to the flock), we'll have to wait for the next broody. I think I'm having chick withdrawal!

It's funny b/c at first I didn't want to start the project due to the weather. Then I started reading more & decided to give it a try. Once I made the plan for the eggs, the hen changed her mind. I put about 9 eggs in a nest box to see if we get another volunteer.

You are very welcome....

I wish you lived closer, I would loan you a broody.... right now I have 3 with chicks that are 3 weeks old (they are co-raising them in the coop), I have Gracie, whose hatch started last night and is just finishing, 2 more hens are setting on eggs out in the coop (both due next Wednesday) and another hen who went into a box 2 days ago which I am watching to see if she is going to be dedicated....

DH and I were looking forward to a quiet winter but it seems the broodies have other ideas!

 

[eliseswart]

Finally! Last year not one of my farmyard chickens went broody, so a friend gave me 10 Brahma(x)-eggs (her chickens being very good brooders) and I hatched them myself in the bator. 100% succes, beginners luck I would say, I never did this before in my entire life.

So here in central France, at -5° C (23 F) one of the young ladies of last year got broody and is very determined to stay that way. It is a bit early in the year, so I gave her only 4 Sussex eggs and let her keep one from herself. I have no idea of the father, I kept one Brahma rooster and I still have good old Dominique (named after Strauss-Kahn). I wanted to separate the flocks a bit later, in spring.
Well, never mind, I'm very happy at least one of them is taking motherhood seriously.

Date to hatch: 24 or 25 February.



The broody one is the Ms. Grey (r). I spoiled them, they always come running begging for candies

 

[fisherlady]

Finally! Last year not one of my farmyard chickens went broody, so a friend gave me 10 Brahma(x)-eggs (her chickens being very good brooders) and I hatched them myself in the bator. 100% succes, beginners luck I would say, I never did this before in my entire life.

So here in central France, at -5° C (23 F) one of the young ladies of last year got broody and is very determined to stay that way. It is a bit early in the year, so I gave her only 4 Sussex eggs and let her keep one from herself. I have no idea of the father, I kept one Brahma rooster and I still have good old Dominique (named after Strauss-Kahn). I wanted to separate the flocks a bit later, in spring.
Well, never mind, I'm very happy at least one of them is taking motherhood seriously.

Date to hatch: 24 or 25 February.



The broody one is the Ms. Grey (r). I spoiled them, they always come running begging for candies

I am glad one of them went broody for you! Cold weather broodies certainly have their challenges, but it is still a wonderful event and certainly can help the winter blues! If you go back a few weeks worth of posts here you will see many of us have been lucky enough to have hens wanting to brood away the winter...
I hope your girl does well with her brood and will look forward to pictures in a few weeks!
She is a very pretty girl!

 

[KrystalRose]

After my hen was sitting on some eggs good for the past week or so, I put her and my 12 most promising eggs into my separate brooder area last night. This will only be my second time with chicks (hopefully!) and the first time with using a broody mama to do all my hard work. So far so good, she is adjusted to the brooder area and sitting pretty tight on those eggs. Of all the breeds I have, I never thought I would be using an EE for my mama but she has been sitting very hard and is a large size girl for any breed, plus she doesn't peck my hand off when I mess with her eggs, or growl at me. Couple weeks to go and I cant wait.

 

[fisherlady]

After my hen was sitting on some eggs good for the past week or so, I put her and my 12 most promising eggs into my separate brooder area last night. This will only be my second time with chicks (hopefully!) and the first time with using a broody mama to do all my hard work. So far so good, she is adjusted to the brooder area and sitting pretty tight on those eggs. Of all the breeds I have, I never thought I would be using an EE for my mama but she has been sitting very hard and is a large size girl for any breed, plus she doesn't peck my hand off when I mess with her eggs, or growl at me. Couple weeks to go and I cant wait.

Congrats! Glad the move was uneventful!
Some of my best broody mamas are EEs.... or at least mutts who lay green eggs, mostly mystery parentage... Glad she is cooperative with you also, it makes it a more relaxed time when they don't freak at every move you make.

 

[fisherlady]

Well we ended up with 6, Gracie left #7 in the nest this morning and headed out with the rest to start teaching them the way of chickens...
So time for a bit of thread hogging with new pictures

 

[KrystalRose]

Will my broody hen get up to get food/water? Or will I need to put it right next to her? She hasn't gotten up yet for anything since I moved her to her new spot last night.

 

[fisherlady]

Will my broody hen get up to get food/water? Or will I need to put it right next to her? She hasn't gotten up yet for anything since I moved her to her new spot last night.

Just leave it within sight of her nest, she will get up when she is ready and it will do her good to stretch her legs a bit... each hen is different on their 'break' schedules, but most do it very quickly and often you don't know it unless it is a confined area and you find a broody poo.... I have found my hens tend to keep their breaks very short in the cold weather and are more relaxed about time in the warmer months. The hen seems to know how long it is ok to stay off of the eggs...

 

[KrystalRose]

Ok well, she is in her own confined area that is (at the moment) poo-less and her food dish is perfectly level so I will know if she gets into it. I will wait until late this evening before I start to worry then I guess. It is about 70 in her little room today, so not too cold or hot.

Thanks for the help!

 

[fisherlady]

Ok well, she is in her own confined area that is (at the moment) poo-less and her food dish is perfectly level so I will know if she gets into it. I will wait until late this evening before I start to worry then I guess. It is about 70 in her little room today, so not too cold or hot.

Thanks for the help!

Remember that their greatly reduced activity also causes a reduced food need.... keep track that she doesn't go completely off of her feed, but don't worry if she isn't eating what you are used to seeing... I also give my hens (unmedicated) chick starter instead of hen food to help keep their protein intake up if they aren't free ranging (my hens get a lot of bugs and grass normally, so going to straight 'factory' food is a big difference for them)
You can always supplement her food with offers of tasty treats, spread a few meal worms, or sunflower seeds (already shelled and no salt), scrambled eggs, canned corn (rinsed to remove salt), tuna, raisins, a few lettuce or cabbage leaves, cantalope, watermelon or any other favored treat. Just make sure the treats you offer are nutritious and don't replace the regular feed.