Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Turk Raphael]

I love you my babies, no matter what, or who you are. I will feed you, keep you warm and tend to your every need. Wow, what a good mama, beautiful pics, beautiful birds. Thanks for sharing.

Looks like he aught to have a paper route or some source of self-support! Just kidding...they're beautiful!!

 

[Acadian Birder]

I have a question: Is it possible that the sight/presence of chicks in a run turns other hens broody?

In May I brought a 6 weeks old pullet in a flock of 16 Hens and a roo. Then One went broody so we let her have 3 chicks...then when they hatched and showed up in the run, 3 more hens went broody and are sitting now. The 3 chicks are now free ranging with mom and seem to interest 2 more hens who have started to show broody signs today ....there really seems to be a ''dominos effect'' here . Any thoughts?

 

[stryker]

I have a question: Is it possible that the sight/presence of chicks in a run turns other hens broody?

In May I brought a 6 weeks old pullet in a flock of 16 Hens and a roo. Then One went broody so we let her have 3 chicks...then when they hatched and showed up in the run, 3 more hens went broody and are sitting now. The 3 chicks are now free ranging with mom and seem to interest 2 more hens who have started to show broody signs today ....there really seems to be a ''dominos effect'' here . Any thoughts?

I hope not as I just had two broodies hatch out chicks 4 days ago. I cannot afford anymore hens with chicks running around. I am also running out of space.

 

[sjturner79]

I have a question: Is it possible that the sight/presence of chicks in a run turns other hens broody?

In May I brought a 6 weeks old pullet in a flock of 16 Hens and a roo.  Then One went broody so we let her have 3 chicks...then when they hatched and showed up in the run, 3 more hens went broody and are sitting now.  The 3 chicks are now free ranging with mom and seem to interest 2 more hens who have started to show broody signs today ....there really seems to be a ''dominos effect'' here .  Any thoughts? 

Mine tend to run in series. Once I have a broody they seem to start going one every 2 weeks, but if I break one , so no one is sitting and there are no young chicks around then it tends to be 2-3 months before I get the next broody.

 

[fisherlady]

I have a question: Is it possible that the sight/presence of chicks in a run turns other hens broody?

In May I brought a 6 weeks old pullet in a flock of 16 Hens and a roo.  Then One went broody so we let her have 3 chicks...then when they hatched and showed up in the run, 3 more hens went broody and are sitting now.  The 3 chicks are now free ranging with mom and seem to interest 2 more hens who have started to show broody signs today ....there really seems to be a ''dominos effect'' here .  Any thoughts? 

We call it the broody flu....

We have had all kinds of hens go broody in our coop, raising chicks is a whole flock activity at our place. Roosters help out and birds of all ages running around. I do believe environment can help foster the tendency which may be dormant in many birds.

 

[oesdog]

Well she is off the nest - 4 live two are dead.

will get pics later.

Oes

 

[karenerwin]

Well, I am going to buy some chicks tomorrow for at least 1 if not both of my broody hens. The healthiest looking broody has eaten all of her older eggs and is currently sitting on eggs that look to have just started. She's been sitting since the beginning of June ( my hubby kept taking her eggs while I was on vacation) she's been sitting on eggs since June 15th. I'll put her remaining eggs in the incubator, but I don't think she needs to sit for another 3 weeks!

The other broody looks worse for wear! She has been sitting for the same time, maybe a week longer, she has at least 4 eggs that look full & dark & feel heavy (they are dark brown eggs, so it's not easy to see into real well). If they haven't hatched by tomorrow night I will put her eggs in the incubator also & give her some chicks. She definitely does not need to be sitting any longer, she feels very skinny when I pick her up.

I've never tried to sneak chicks under a broody (I've never had broodies before these 2), so wish me luck! I know I'm suppose to do it at night when it is as dark as I can get it. Any other helpful hints?

 

[Faraday40]

I've never tried to sneak chicks under a broody (I've never had broodies before these 2), so wish me luck! I know I'm suppose to do it at night when it is as dark as I can get it. Any other helpful hints?

I put mine under the broody during the day & watched for a while to make sure she was OK. I also kept checking in on them to make sure things stayed that way. My broodies are each different. Two only accept chicks if they think they've hatched them. In other words, the chicks must be added while the hen is still sitting on some eggs in the the nest. Once she starts moving around & teaching them about food & water, she attacks new chicks. My 3rd broody will take in any chick at any age. When her chicks were 10 days old, she adopted a lonely 4 day old chick. When her chicks were 5 weeks old, she tried to steal 15 more incubator chicks that she discovered in the garage. (She couldn't figure out how to get into their cage. Otherwise, I know she would have tried to mother them.)

 

[karenerwin]

I went to Buchheit's today to buy a few day old chicks. The problem is that all they had were older chicks (the youngest were 4 weeks old). The lady said that she was getting a new shipment in on Thursday, so I decided I would just have to wait.

I just went out to collect eggs and the broody that still had 4 eggs that looked viable has hatched one of them!

I cooking her some scrambled eggs to celebrate, my husband said that it is a bit morbid,feeding her scrambled eggs! I hadn't even thought of that. LOL
I'll post a picture in a little while. I'm so glad that at least 1 hatched

 

[karenerwin]

Here are 3 pictures of the same chick. Broody Mama is still chortling on the nest, so I hope that means she is encouraging another/more eggs to hatch!