Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

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I was told that hens that came from incubators are not good mothers because they never had a mother to train them in taking care of chicks. Is there truth to this statement?
 
FarmerBoyChicks said:
I was told that hens that came from incubators are not good mothers because they never had a mother to train them in taking care of chicks. Is there truth to this statement?
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Not all hens will become broody, but I think it has more to do with the breed than the hatching. All of mine were incubator chicks. Two grew up into great broodies. (An EE & a bantam orp) The EE only 1x per year & the bantam goes broody as soon as her chicks grow up.
 
Aww little duckling and Bella in the Your Chickens magazine!
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Hello! I have a Blue Laced Red Wyandotte who has been broody and sitting on 4 wooden eggs for the past 7 days. She seems extremely determined so I am going to pick up a few fertile eggs later today since we no longer have a rooster in the flock. I moved her into a dog crate with a nest box, plenty of straw, and the 4 wooden eggs so that the other hens won't bother her or the chicks when they hatch. When I moved her into the dog crate she sat on the eggs for a little bit and then left them as soon as she spotted the feed that I have put in the crate for her. She stayed off the eggs for more than an hour. I thought she was no longer broody. However, when I put her back in the coop with the rest of the flock, she walked around with her feathers fluffed up and begin to attack the other hens, then went back up and sat in her original nest box and sat on the wooden eggs which I had put back in the nest boxes.

I am assuming she just wanted to be in the nest box she went broody in. Should I just give her the fertile eggs in there and hope the other hens don't mess with her? I am afraid if I keep trying to move her she will no longer be broody. I have used an incubator a few times but I have never hatched eggs with a broody before so any info is helpful! Thanks!
 
chickenpooplady said:
Hello! I have a Blue Laced Red Wyandotte who has been broody and sitting on 4 wooden eggs for the past 7 days. She seems extremely determined so I am going to pick up a few fertile eggs later today since we no longer have a rooster in the flock. I moved her into a dog crate with a nest box, plenty of straw, and the 4 wooden eggs so that the other hens won't bother her or the chicks when they hatch. When I moved her into the dog crate she sat on the eggs for a little bit and then left them as soon as she spotted the feed that I have put in the crate for her. She stayed off the eggs for more than an hour. I thought she was no longer broody. However, when I put her back in the coop with the rest of the flock, she walked around with her feathers fluffed up and begin to attack the other hens, then went back up and sat in her original nest box and sat on the wooden eggs which I had put back in the nest boxes.

I am assuming she just wanted to be in the nest box she went broody in. Should I just give her the fertile eggs in there and hope the other hens don't mess with her? I am afraid if I keep trying to move her she will no longer be broody. I have used an incubator a few times but I have never hatched eggs with a broody before so any info is helpful! Thanks!
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Hello, I have this situation as well. Unfortunately, I have a small coop with only two nest boxes and seven hens. When one is broody, I have found its hard to move them. So I try to just get some extra fertile eggs and hope for the best. Some always seem to get crushed or go missing. :sick I have noticed, if she is higher in the pecking order, the only girls won't bother her as much and she may have better success. The broody I have sitting on eggs right now is my fourth so far and I love it. They know just what to do and you don't have to do any work. On the really hot days here (90 +), I try to bring in a waterer twice a day and let the girls take a nice long drink. You will love have broodys, they are so much fun!!
 
Baby has started going in the water now... People were saying Bella would go crazy, but she didn't care, at all. She didn't even look twice. She just stood there and then stood in there with it
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