Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Lady of McCamley]

Glad the bar went back. What DH usually does on hatch days is 'wire them in'. He has short screws drilled in on either side of the box entrance so they just stick out about a quarter inch. He has pieces of hardware cloth cut for the size of the opening plus a little. He put the hardware cloth over the screws and then uses a real small bungee to tie it in place. The wire mesh is primarily to keep stray hens out and early hatchers in. The fence comes down once hatch is done or we want to move them to a floor box. The biggest risk to our chicks on hatch day is definitely the other hens wanting to lay in the broody box.

Thanks for the thought.

I've actually had some great hatches in this main coop. One year I had 3 go broody, and they all hatched pretty much within days. It didn't seem to matter, after the first dry out and fluff, which chick went with which mom. I kept food and water in the coop for the chicks. Hysterically, one mom would end up staying in the coop while the other 1 or 2 went out and got food, stretched, did their nails, caught up on yard gossip. Then, they'd switch. It was a great set up.

Bar has done some amazing work for me in the past, and I'm so busy right now with my business that it's hard to keep up at the coop...so hopefully this will work itself out.

But I will keep in mind a portable temporary stretch fence on hatch day. That's the only time I find it vulnerable.

Always good to hear your coop thoughts. I really admire those pencilled rocks <3

LofMc

 

[McChooky]

Thanks for the thought.

I've actually had some great hatches in this main coop. One year I had 3 go broody, and they all hatched pretty much within days. It didn't seem to matter, after the first dry out and fluff, which chick went with which mom. I kept food and water in the coop for the chicks. Hysterically, one mom would end up staying in the coop while the other 1 or 2 went out and got food, stretched, did their nails, caught up on yard gossip. Then, they'd switch. It was a great set up.

Bar has done some amazing work for me in the past, and I'm so busy right now with my business that it's hard to keep up at the coop...so hopefully this will work itself out.

But I will keep in mind a portable temporary stretch fence on hatch day. That's the only time I find it vulnerable.

Always good to hear your coop thoughts. I really admire those pencilled rocks <3

LofMc

I'm all for letting the broody hens take the wheel in the coop!

 

[fisherlady]

@Lady of McCamley ... wiring them in is only for hatch day because, as you said, it is the vulnerable one. Otherwise the broodies do for themselves.

The group brooding is wonderful, we almost always have 2-4 at a time sharing chicks. They normally sit with 1 or 2 in a nest but once they hit the floor it is all about the chicks. Like you saw it seems that hens each take on separate roles and swap roles once in a while so everyone gets their share of chick raising duties.

Once a flock has started group brooding it is so fun to watch. We also keep close track of anyone who 'upsets the apple cart', so to speak. We don't mind hens who prefer to brood independently as long as they aren't nasty to the occasional stray chick running around but cockerels who harass chicks or hens who are nasty for no good reason get themselves removed from the population. We do keep numerous creep feeders scattered around to minimize conflicts over food at the main feeders. Following those guidelines has allowed us to develop an incredibly chick friendly environment which has become a self sustainable flock.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

NEW UPDATE:

Well, Bar has come through, even with the musical nests. She was up again with the chicks at the food and water. She stood up and I counted 8....yes 8...little chicks. I took the opportunity to clean up the nest she'd been using. Of the 8, I will have 6 Cream Legbars (one clearly doubled spot male, several clearly female, the rest I couldn't get a good look at yet as mom is protective) and 2 Barnevelder chicks, looking very proper Barnie down.

Evidently I had set a couple of more blue eggs...2 were duds (shook slop), one felt solid, so I gave the solid feeling one to Brownie. She's due in a couple of days. Who know...it might have been on the edge, but likely dead chick.

Cochine is back in her corner of "what the heck" eggs. I will glean through again tonight and take out unmarked. I didn't do that the last couple of nights to avoid disturbing the musical nest brigade.

Kudos to Bar....8 lovely chicks, which she is tenderly caring for in the coop main compartment.

LofMc

 

[nchls school]

 

[fisherlady]

.... to avoid disturbing the musical nest brigade.

Kudos to Bar....8 lovely chicks, which she is tenderly caring for in the coop main compartment.

love the 'musical nest brigade'!

way to go Bar! congrats on the good hatch and double kudos for not having all boys!

 

[Faraday40]

The Broody Bunch continues!!!!
The little pink nest tub is by far the fav. Today 4 of the hens smooshed themselves in there. The bigger tub contains the grumpy little white hen. She's appropriately named "Solo"
* The name was because of a sad "lonely only" chick situation, but it rings true tonight.

You can also see part of "Coge" (our handicapped hen) and her 3 adopted silkies.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

The Broody Bunch continues!!!!
The little pink nest tub is by far the fav. Today 4 of the hens smooshed themselves in there. The bigger tub contains the grumpy little white hen. She's appropriately named "Solo"
* The name was because of a sad "lonely only" chick situation, but it rings true tonight.

You can also see part of "Coge" (our handicapped hen) and her 3 adopted silkies.

You need to set up the little tubs in a square tic-tack-toe formation and sing "The Broody Bunch" LOL.

Solo would be grumpy Alice?

Go little hens. Go.

LofMc

 

[Faraday40]

Solo would be grumpy Alice?

 

[fisherlady]

Some recent broody history...