Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[PD-Riverman]

I swear if I knew someone local who could cull my broody I would have.

If you got a broody----that you do not want to continue to stay broody----why don't you break her broodiness??

 

[celticgarden]

Well, came home from work and my broody was out and about for a good long while. Think she's finally finishing her broody spell. May try her next year. As for the eggs in the incubator I put them on lockdown. Heard loud peeping so they are getting close. Incubator hatch it is.

 

[kilby]

If you got a broody----that you do not want to continue to stay broody----why don't you break her broodiness??

No, I am just saying that is how I felt. She is not a problem unless she hatches eggs. She is doing a job right now on duck eggs. I just can't handle any more massacres and I have become more rational now.

 

[PD-Riverman]

She is not a problem unless she hatches eggs.

OK, then if you do not want chicks----why don't you break the broody as soon as she starts setting----so she does not spend weeks setting??? I know its none of my Business---Just curious------""""I""" personally would not want my hens to set for weeks for Nothing and for health reasons-----just saying.

 

[kilby]

OK, then if you do not want chicks----why don't you break the broody as soon as she starts setting----so she does not spend weeks setting??? I know its none of my Business---Just curious------""""I""" personally would not want my hens to set for weeks for Nothing and for health reasons-----just saying.

You are putting words in my mouth. Never said I did not want chicks. She was a first time broody and I never had the experience of Ma tearing the guts out or scalping chicks before. It was horrendous for them and me don't you get it. I was answering another's question about having a new broody experience so what to do. That was mine. I was upset enough to kill right her then and there myself. Where in that do you read I never wanted chicks and I let her sit for 3 weeks so she could get weak and emaciated and maybe hopefully die of some immune deficiency. You are a misinformed. Jumping in before the gun.

 

[PD-Riverman]

You are putting words in my mouth. Never said I did not want chicks. She was a first time broody and I never had the experience of Ma tearing the guts out or scalping chicks before. It was horrendous for them and me don't you get it. I was answering another's question about having a new broody experience so what to do. That was mine. I was upset enough to kill right her then and there myself. Where in that do you read I never wanted chicks and I let her sit for 3 weeks so she could get weak and emaciated and maybe hopefully die of some immune deficiency. You are a misinformed. Jumping in before the gun.

Sorry Kilby, You taking me wrong----I was only trying to offer help to ""YOU"". I had not been back reading your older post----I was going by what I was reading in the last few post---things like "" I swear if I knew someone local who could cull my broody I would have"" and ""She is not a problem unless she hatches eggs"" those things alone Made it sound like you did not want her or her to hatch chicks, which is my reason for asking why didn't you just break her so you would not have to deal with it. Your original post(before editing) came through to my e-mail which was not nice.

 

[fisherlady]

A couple of broody shots from yesterday...
Janeway with some of hers...

Jo with her newest...hatched Tuesday afternoon...

And we have 2 pullets who were hatched in late February who are setting themselves already. Found the black one on a nest about 10 days ago and the buff one spent 3 days considering before parking for good a few days ago. They always did like hanging out together....

 

[dryhollowsouthfarm]

I need some advice quickly as we have a silkie that went broody & the eggs have begun to hatch. We are new to this & we now realize we aren't prepared. Is it best to seperate the hen & chicks from the rest of the flock? We are thinking about building a seperate outdoor "brooder" area for them. Does anyone have any suggestions on design and/or do's and don'ts in design & building it? We can't spend a ton of money on it but at the same time we would like it to be something that we can reuse & looks nice. I really appreciate any help we can get on this ASAP as we only have this weekend to do this.

 

[Faraday40]

Definitely keep the chicks with mom. Whether the little family stays with the flock may depend on your flock dynamics. If bigger birds may pick on them, then best to keep them safe.

I like to keep mine in the flock's view - but safely separated until they're older. I use an old rabbit cage inside the run for the 1st 2-3 weeks. The tiny chicks have a way of going through fences or tiny holes you may not have considered dangerous. The mama hen calls them back, but they freak out when they can't find a return path. I also use an old baby play yard to give them grass time during the day. (Again, keeps the little ones safe.) After a couple days, the mama hen & chicks are trained to walk themselves to & from the rabbit cage and play yard, so it's not a lot of extra work. Around age 2-3 weeks, I take the play yard away & leave the rabbit cage open. By then it's the hen's job to finish raising them. Eventually, she teaches them to roost & then I take away the rabbit cage.



Rabbit cage inside run



Play yard in grass

 

[kilby]

I need some advice quickly as we have a silkie that went broody & the eggs have begun to hatch. We are new to this & we now realize we aren't prepared. Is it best to seperate the hen & chicks from the rest of the flock? We are thinking about building a seperate outdoor "brooder" area for them. Does anyone have any suggestions on design and/or do's and don'ts in design & building it? We can't spend a ton of money on it but at the same time we would like it to be something that we can reuse & looks nice. I really appreciate any help we can get on this ASAP as we only have this weekend to do this.

I use the sunroom in the house with a wire dog kennel. No building included.

Also, I would put them in a pen on the ground as soon as their little bodies can handle the weather, with a Ma no problem. Also, have a rabbit cage on the balcony for fresh air and sunshine which I have to monitor all day for shade and and sun.