Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[fisherlady]

All righty thanks!! That is exactly what is happening. It is full of dirt. I will remove the tall pail.

What is the oldest age I can try and leave new choc with the broody? Is one week too old?

I think you are asking how old can a chick be and still be adopted by a hen? If so I usually advise they be as close to day old as possible, I have never tried with a week old so can't give advice from experience on that but typically the older chicks get the less likely they are to accept the broody and understand the broody is the source of safety and warmth. Exception would be if the broody's own chicks are same age as the intended adoptee, then it may adjust simply because it is imitating the other chicks.

So I would say a week old is doubtful but still possible if the personalities and situation are right.

 

[emgrider]

I have a great broody story. I had a tiny white bantam hen named busy pollo. She got her name BC she wsent broody as soon as she deemed her babies old enough to function. So, she went broody about 4 times a year. But the special thing about pollo was that she would let her daughter, whom I kept in the coop with her and was a mature hen, hide under her wing while she sat on her eggs. Also, when the eggs hatched, her daughter cared for the babies like they were her's too. All-in all, it was so precious

 

[katielily]

Question: This is the third spring my Buff Orpington has gone broody, so I finally just ordered some fertile eggs for her to hatch. Thanks to my luck that very same day I placed the order is the first day she has snapped out of being broody. I had taken away the nest about a few days earlier so that she would go outside to get food water and sun. Do you think if I put the best back in a week nice and fluffy with a clutch of eggs and some curtains that it would convince her to go broody again and sit on them?

 

[curious chickee]

It might, I would set up the nest with some fake eggs or golf balls. Try a good clutch size with at least 4, I prefer 6.

 

[nchls school]

Question: This is the third spring my Buff Orpington has gone broody, so I finally just ordered some fertile eggs for her to hatch. Thanks to my luck that very same day I placed the order is the first day she has snapped out of being broody. I had taken away the nest about a few days earlier so that she would go outside to get food water and sun. Do you think if I put the best back in a week nice and fluffy with a clutch of eggs and some curtains that it would convince her to go broody again and sit on them?

No. A hen that snaps out of being broody starts the cycle over again-laying eggs; a clutch of eggs, and for most hens that is between 10-15 eggs at the least. Consider letting your hen pick a nest site, replace the eggs as they are laid with dummy eggs, and when the clutch is complete the hen will go broody (hopefully). This works best if the hen does not have to compete with other hens for the nest. Consider canceling or postponing the egg order (unless you have an incubator) until you have a serious broody; I ordered eggs today-they were shipped today, and, with luck, I should get them Saturday.

Try putting the nest back now. Maybe she would go back to the nest and brood, but next week-doubtful.

 

[lorelei71221]

I'm starting to understand why you would separate broody hens. Here's my update:

I threw away the 3 bad eggs and replaced them with golf balls, leaving each hen in her own nest with 3 eggs/balls. But when I got home from work, both hens were in one nest and the one egg was missing out of the other. After some digging, I found the crushed eggshell deep in the nest. Which theory seems most plausible?

1) The hen(s) crushed or cracked it by accident shuffling around in the nest
2) The "mama" hen pecked it out of frustration or curiosity after I took away her other dead eggs
3) The other broody hen pecked it (I doubt this--her first instinct when she sees any egg uncovered is to panic and sit on it)
4) The non-broody hen pecked it (she has been depressed because her sisters won't leave the coop, and they are blocking her favorite nest box)

Whatever happened, Katy has demonstrated that she is not a responsible mother, so she is now relegated to sitting on golf balls and Taylor has the two remaining eggs. However, when Katy gets up, Taylor goes and sits on the golf balls, leaving her own eggs uncovered. If I take away the golf balls, Katy keeps trying to get at Taylor's eggs and I'm worried they will break them. And then last night I found the two broodies in one nest with the golf balls and Britney, the non-broody hen, was sitting on the eggs. Everyone is confused. It will be a miracle if I get a chick out of this mess!

 

[ameliadanielle]

I have to move mine. Because my chickens have this really fun game... when a hen is sitting on eggs that is the place everyone wants to lay. They'll actually push the eggs out of the nest to try and cover up the fresh eggs once the nest is full. Apparently the best nest must always be the one someone is broody in.

 

[Catandherchicks]

I'm starting to understand why you would separate broody hens.  Here's my update:

I threw away the 3 bad eggs and replaced them with golf balls, leaving each hen in her own nest with 3 eggs/balls.  But when I got home from work, both hens were in one nest and the one egg was missing out of the other.  After some digging, I found the crushed eggshell deep in the nest.  Which theory seems most plausible?

1) The hen(s) crushed or cracked it by accident shuffling around in the nest
2) The "mama" hen pecked it out of frustration or curiosity after I took away her other dead eggs
3) The other broody hen pecked it (I doubt this--her first instinct when she sees any egg uncovered is to panic and sit on it)
4) The non-broody hen pecked it (she has been depressed because her sisters won't leave the coop, and they are blocking her favorite nest box)

Whatever happened, Katy has demonstrated that she is not a responsible mother, so she is now relegated to sitting on golf balls and Taylor has the two remaining eggs.  However, when Katy gets up, Taylor goes and sits on the golf balls, leaving her own eggs uncovered.  If I take away the golf balls, Katy keeps trying to get at Taylor's eggs and I'm worried they will break them.  And then last night I found the two broodies in one nest with the golf balls and Britney, the non-broody hen, was sitting on the eggs.  Everyone is confused.  It will be a miracle if I get a chick out of this mess!

Yup. I'd say that's a really good example. I learned a lot from this thread with my first broody. The half-sister second broody is off in the garage/shop all by herself and is doing well. I quietly go in at dusk to check water and feed - which is placed about 4' away but in line of sight - and pick-up any "presents" and immediately leave. I don't even talk to her.

I know she's getting up every day cuz the bit of mealworms on top of the feed tray are gone and the feed is moved around in the dish. One more week and hopefully there will be chicks. Thanks again everyone, and good luck @loreli71221 on the remaining eggs.

 

[ameliadanielle]

My hens seem relieved when they get put in their own private nest box and moved so far away they don't even see another chicken. They get the pampered life for a while. No sharing food or water, dealing with pecking order, no annoying sisters laying eggs on their heads. They just get to relax and be an incubator.

 

[emmie325]

Do y'all think it will be ok to set quail eggs under my hen when she goes broody again