Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[boxermom]

I've only placed 12 under my BO's. Mainly because I and they were learning.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I finally got a better picture of my hen and her 2 kids, they were hatched on Wed. she is still nervous about bringing them outside had them out for a while yesterday afternoon none today.

 

[NottinghamChicks]

Awww she is so sweet wit those babies

Thanks for sharing.

 

[TeamChaos]

Question: I've got a mama with 8 or 9 chicks that are a few days old (all running around and eating and drinking). She's in a closed brooder box and for the last two days, she has wanted to bring the babies out with her when I open the door. Yesterday we had high winds of 35 mph and up (it blew my other full grown chickens around) and today it's snowing (!!!) and barely 30 degrees. I'm sure I'm frustrating mama by not letting her bring them out, but it seems like such a bad time. They've got room in the broody box to scratch around and as I said everyone is eating. Is it okay to wait until tomorrow to let her bring her babies out? Thanks.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Of course it is. My broody just finally got hers out today and they were hatched on Wed.

 

[Hope119]

I am sorry, I don't have time or energy to read the whole thread... but maybe someone could help me answer these questions:

1) is it absolutely necessary to lock the broody (and babies) away from other flock members? She is probably the lowest in the pecking order (of 5 hens and 1 roo)
2) if the nest is such that chicks won't be able to get out and, especially, back in, would mama hen feed them (meaning bring food in her beak like wild birds do)? We don't have straw, but once the time for hatching is up, I could probably put some tree shavings on the floor and move everyone there.

Our hen's eggs are due around this time... I thought I heard some chirping coming from under her today, but then it became quiet. She started with 5 eggs, but I candled 2 and one of them was not looking good - stopped developing and air cell was huge.

Thanks!

 

[shellyga]

what I learned from this thread and my personal experience with my first broody hen a month or so ago.. I would say that she needs a place that is quiet and away from the flock while she sits.. and for the first few days. She will introduce them to the flock when she is ready. You do need to watch your other chickens for any sign of aggression. My flock was great.. the alpha roo was allowed near the chicks without issue.. the young roo wasn't so lucky..but no harm came to the chicks at all.

Chickens do not bring food back to their chicks. You need to furnish some food after they hatch - chick food. Mom will teach them how to eat and drink almost immediately.

Shelly

 

[vebyrd36]

Hello all I have 3 hens setting on several different eggs. 1 is on several different turkey eggs, another is on blue Ameraucana eggs and the other is on magpie/ geese eggs.

 

[Hope119]

Quote:
Thanks!
I did not separate her when she was sitting. Our coop has 3 rooms and I moved her into a different room 2 nights ago. She was in the room where they lay and roost. Today only one other hen laid in her nest (during past couple weeks they would all lay under her - I had her eggs marked and we were removing others) - all others laid in the nest in that room where they roost.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Since I don't have any extra places to put my broodies they stay in the main coop, at the beginning the other hens were laying in the nest boxes of the ones that are sitting but in the last week they have pretty much left them alone, I had my small bantam frizzle in our small coop by herself but when her chicks hatched she moved them into the main coop with all the other chickens and has done fine. I have another hen thats due to hatch tomorrow in the small coop now, wondering if she'll go back to the main coop after they hatch, we'll see. I have 5 more broodies sitting inside the main coop, what am I thinking