Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Faraday40]

Chick adoption

My daughter's project involved broody vs incubator. Trial 0: broody hen stopped setting before the fertile eggs were added. Trial 1: same hatch rate for both groups Trial 2: Broody hen won with about 20% higher hatch rate.

Now that we're done & chicks are 1 week old, we just started selling some of the "results." With only 3 chicks in the brooder & 3 chicks for the broody, I was wondering if the broody might "adopt" them. Chicks are same age & size. I added them to the broody area. Although hen did not attack, she did discipline them with keep away pecks. The 3 newbies got scared & huddled together in the corner. It's so hot, I wasn't worried about the temps, but more the stress of losing their hatchmates, then getting pecked by a hen.

Is 7-9 days old too late to add chicks? Should I try at night when they'd be forced to sleep together for warmth? Do I have to wait until 4-6 weeks when the broody abandons her chicks to intro their biological siblings?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[kilby]

I have a broody, that won't stop. She sat for 4 days, I finally thought I broke her, until later that evening she was back in the nesting boxes sitting. So, I figured I would let her sit, since I was getting some fertile eggs every once in a while. So, I moved her and she is a great broody. Well, candled the eggs yesterday they were not fertile, so I tossed them. She has sat a total of 22 days at this point.

She went over and ate and drank with some of the other girls. Then I go to collect eggs and there she is back in the nesting boxes. I took the eggs, so she went back to her broody nest. She was not happy, making lots of noise. I felt so bad, I just set some eggs in the incubator yesterday that I bought. I ran down and got 4 for her.

I am worried that if she sits for another 20 days, her health will suffer. She is my first broody and she is very determined. Has anyone ever had a broody sit for so long. I need advice

Would feeding her poultry supplement ease your mind? I use one that has every thing for a stressed out hen. Being new at it she might make that mistake of being too serious. Mine lost half her weight I think. Does her breast bone feel sharp?

 

[kilby]

Chick adoption

My daughter's project involved broody vs incubator. Trial 0: broody hen stopped setting before the fertile eggs were added. Trial 1: same hatch rate for both groups Trial 2: Broody hen won with about 20% higher hatch rate.

Now that we're done & chicks are 1 week old, we just started selling some of the "results." With only 3 chicks in the brooder & 3 chicks for the broody, I was wondering if the broody might "adopt" them. Chicks are same age & size. I added them to the broody area. Although hen did not attack, she did discipline them with keep away pecks. The 3 newbies got scared & huddled together in the corner. It's so hot, I wasn't worried about the temps, but more the stress of losing their hatchmates, then getting pecked by a hen.

Is 7-9 days old too late to add chicks? Should I try at night when they'd be forced to sleep together for warmth? Do I have to wait until 4-6 weeks when the broody abandons her chicks to intro their biological siblings?

Thanks for any advice.

Hi, just my experience but my one broody started taking it out on the small one of the 3 hatches and I separated them. I don't care what day or week it is. If a chick feels it's going to get beat up by everyone it will not be a healthy chick. The other chick started pecking her too. They are just copy cats and dumb as door knobs. You cannot force nature in your favor. The hen could devour or force her out as well. Who knows why? They will die eventually if kept away from what they need to survive. ie food water warmth with beatings from Mama and siblings. They are lizard brains so I guess anything that looks different must die to protect the original group. You don't want your daughter to see how cruel nature is. I am not joking. They need saving. Some I think just let nature take its course. I don't agree. You put them in that situation and you should get them out safely.. I mean being hatched separately. Mama hen is probably stressed and it makes her act unfavourably like someone with PTSD. Just my experience. thanks

 

[annascadp]

Would feeding her poultry supplement ease your mind? I use one that has every thing for a stressed out hen. Being new at it she might make that mistake of being too serious. Mine lost half her weight I think. Does her breast bone feel sharp?

I agree the supplement is a good idea. Also have food and water near her and monitor her to make sure she is actually eating. (It doesn't take much, since she isn't moving around.) Yes, I've had a broody go nearly that long. She was very reasonable and would eat every couple of days, and she was a little shaky for a day once they hatched. She took extra attention, and she and her chicks were fine. They all turned out super friendly.

 

[annascadp]

I have a question. I acquired two free range chicks on May 20th. One looked full grown and one looked like a pulley. Perhaps mother and daughter because they were caught together. Btw the are bantams but unsure of their type. The older of the two laid eggs for about six weeks then stopped and hid out in the nesting box. She has been sitting on eggs for 13 days. the other chicken has never laid an egg and stays with the broody nesting hen. She does come out several times a day to scratch and drink. The broody does occasionally. They are both weird because they don't like herbs, watermelon, fruit, etc. the don't eat much of the layer feed either. I have not isolated the broody from the other chick because she is the boss. When and if her 7 eggs hatch, will she protect her babies from the other or should I separate them? I have a very small kit coop. It will be very hard to separate them. Though they were raised free range they only get to room around a 5x6 foot pen I added to the coop. TIA for your help.

I guess you can't let the pullet out once her mama's/buddy's eggs hatch? Maybe put in a separation and watch her for a few hours? (I suspect mama will tell her in no uncertain terms to leave the chicks alone and she will oblige. She might even help raise them. But I'd separate them anyway, at first, to make sure.) As for space, can you let them free range during the day and then let them sleep in the coop, or are there dogs and cats? - Also I've bought hens that would not eat anything but scratch feed, and it took them months to learn that other stuff is actually edible. (I had to mix small amounts into the scratch feed for them to get the idea, eventually.) But they came out of a confined environment and didn't have a chance to learn chicken things.

 

[ChicagoClucker]

Would feeding her poultry supplement ease your mind? I use one that has every thing for a stressed out hen. Being new at it she might make that mistake of being too serious. Mine lost half her weight I think. Does her breast bone feel sharp?

She doesn't seem to have lost much weight, I have had food and water in with her. Supplements is a good idea. But, will she be ok to sit for another 3 weeks?

 

[Faraday40]

Hi, just my experience but my one broody started taking it out on the small one of the 3 hatches and I separated them. I don't care what day or week it is. If a chick feels it's going to get beat up by everyone it will not be a healthy chick. The other chick started pecking her too. They are just copy cats and dumb as door knobs. You cannot force nature in your favor. The hen could devour or force her out as well. Who knows why? They will die eventually if kept away from what they need to survive. ie food water warmth with beatings from Mama and siblings. They are lizard brains so I guess anything that looks different must die to protect the original group. You don't want your daughter to see how cruel nature is. I am not joking. They need saving. Some I think just let nature take its course. I don't agree. You put them in that situation and you should get them out safely.. I mean being hatched separately. Mama hen is probably stressed and it makes her act unfavourably like someone with PTSD. Just my experience. thanks

That's what I thought when I saw them in the corner of the broody run. After about 20 min, I brought them back inside. They cried away in their living room brooder, so I picked them up. All 3 instantly fell asleep in my hands. I can tell they are missing the chicks we sold. That's why I was hoping the 2 groups would blend, since both had losses (Chick sales - not death). My broody hens have always allowed switching at hatch up to 2-3 days old - mostly b/c the chicks are constantly under the hen keeping warm at that age. I guess it's just not an option once the hens leaves the nest.

Another question: I'm seeing tons of black feathers by the broody's cage. Is it common to molt when rearing chicks or could she be ripping feathers off any pullet walking too close to her domain?

 

[kilby]

That's what I thought when I saw them in the corner of the broody run. After about 20 min, I brought them back inside. They cried away in their living room brooder, so I picked them up. All 3 instantly fell asleep in my hands. I can tell they are missing the chicks we sold. That's why I was hoping the 2 groups would blend, since both had losses (Chick sales - not death). My broody hens have always allowed switching at hatch up to 2-3 days old - mostly b/c the chicks are constantly under the hen keeping warm at that age. I guess it's just not an option once the hens leaves the nest.

Another question: I'm seeing tons of black feathers by the broody's cage. Is it common to molt when rearing chicks or could she be ripping feathers off any pullet walking too close to her domain?

It's a miracle they have not died of a heart attack by now. sounds like PTSD though!
Can you put a camera in the coop to see what is happening with the feathers?
Who is doing what to whom? are the chicks separate or free in the coop. could be dangerous.
I have always had mine in my house in the sun room before I put them in a rabbit hutch outside when fully feathered. Worked for a five years now. Broody hatching only started spring 2014. So I have to do what works for me. I hope the little darlin's recover from their losses.

Cheers

 

[kilby]

She doesn't seem to have lost much weight, I have had food and water in with her. Supplements is a good idea. But, will she be ok to sit for another 3 weeks?

I have two broodies that would sit all day everyday all year. I think it depends on the hen. the chantecler in particular killed both her hatches when they emerged though so I guess you could say she was suffering from somethin'? Is their valium for hens??? I couldn't kill her though that is what I thought she deserved at first.
Why are you worried about it? She would tell you if she is not surviving well under the stress. Then you put them in an incubator or get another broody. Meet her half way is what I try to do.

 

[kilby]

It would depend on if the legbar was the hen or rooster. If momma hen was the legbar then males would have a spot but if legbar was the dad then it means that chick will be barred and it doesn't mean girl or boy. At least that is what I understand from my readings.

this youtube video shows autosexing cream legbar.

since the mark is not on the center of the head I vouch that they are not cockerels. White on yellow could be harder to see so I would not rule anything out.