Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

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Well Congrats to you for the broody, now you get to build that coop you've always wanted...

We are now on our 9th broody since April. I am weary, but love them mamas and chicks. The only reason I am letting this 9th one go ahead is she kicked another broody off her nest today and confiscated her 2 eggs, well to not dissapoint broody #8 since she only has till June 7th is hatch day I took 1 egg and gave it to broody #9 so they would both have a chick. I am maxed out on space too. And right now dh is saying no more coops. so have to practice birth control.

keep us updated on how it all goes..

 

[Equine_Angel]

My broody hen is a fist time mom! I popped my head in today and noticed a bloody eggshell and a couple of peeps!!!! HOW EXCITING! I just took three eggs from her clutch because they were from a different hen and I have since popped them in the incubator. Nice timing. I have put food and water out and made a comfy landing area below the high nesting in box...just in case!!!!

I hope to get pictures soon!

 

[LadyWoodsong]

I am totally bummed out.

This morning I went out to the coop to check on things and my mama hen was off her nest, which isn't anything to worry about, I know. But the eggs were kind of spread out from one another so I reached in to kind of push them together since she's sitting on quite a few. She's been sitting on them for about two weeks now and I noticed that there was blackish stuff on the eggs. I wear bifocals so I could quite see what it was. I figured it was from her sitting on them so long, or something? I'm a newbie to this as well.

After I pushed the eggs together, I happened to look at my hand and it was covered in what must be mites.

I went outside and wiped my hand on the grass to get them off since we don't have a water hookup or anything nearby the coop. Then washed my hands well in the house. I had to leave for work so I couldn't do anything right then.

I called a friend of mine on the way to work and left a message as to what happened. I'm figuring she probably left the nest due to the discomfort of the mites in her nest. I have never dealt with mites before. This is my first flock and they just turned one year old.

The only thing I can think is that it's been such a rainy season around here that she hasn't really had anywhere to take a dust bath.

After work and after talking to my friend, I took some DE and sprinkled it on the nest and eggs. She was still off the nest and I noticed her roosting elsewhere.

I picked her up and put her back in the nest and am hoping she'll sit again. I checked on her a bit ago and she was still on it. Tomorrow I will be using poultry dust on the rest of the flock. I did sprinkle DE around the coop and in each nesting box.

I'm planning on dusting the broody hen with poultry dust, but only using DE in the nest. I'm hoping it won't hurt anything. I don't even know if any eggs will hatch now. She was off the nest for a rather long time today. I don't think she would've gone back if I wouldn't have put her there.

I'm hoping for the best, but expecting the worst.

 

[Equine_Angel]

Lady Woodsong,

Dont worry about the mites. I have noticed a few underneath my broody hen and while she was off her nest for a couple hours, I cleaned the eggs and dusted it with DE. She hatched an egg today and all seems well. What type of bedding are you using in the nest?

I currently have hay because the weather has been still cold, but once she started getting broody, I wasnt able to switch her to pine bedding. I have noticed a lot more mite issues with hay bedding.

Keep us updated!

 

[Fuffy]

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Personnally I like DE...It's the 'naturalness' of it, I guess.

But I'm pretty fanatical about using it, on the grounds that prevention is better than cure. I dust the coop and nesting area once a week. They get it in their treats once a week, and I dust all the birds once a month.

Also when I move my broody to her nursery, she passes by the DE spa

Good luck!!!

 

[Fuffy]

Quote:
I was always told that mites like to live in hay, and that straw is a better option. Apparently the tubes are too big for the mites.

 

[Alexander]

I always use straw.I dont like hay.Plus straw is easier for me to find.You could also use some old clothing too like sweaters.It works!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I hate to say it but if you have a big mite infestation DE will not work, I used it for 6 years and still do, but when my chickens got mites last year I had to use the poultry dust and sevin spray[in the coop] to get rid of them. If you get Epernix pour on and use it like frontline on your chickens it will kill the mites/lice and will keep them off. then all you have to do is use the poultry dust every once in a while in the coop. but the sevin spray is better because it can get into the cracks and crevices where the mites live. Mites will kill chickens and chicks by making them anemic. I use DE only in their food now to keep it fresh and dry. I would go ahead and remove all the bedding in her nest and replace it with pine shaving, absorbs poop better which is healthier. the poop just sits con top of straw and hay. I just stir the nest boxes with the shaving it stays so much drier. It's the eggs she'll keep sitting on. Also I would feed her some good protein in the form of high quality canned cat food. to build her blood up since the mites have been feeding on her. along with her chick feed. Another plus about Epernix is no egg withdrawl, and alos kills parasites in and out.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Please I hope ya'll don't say aww she is just a know it all, believe me I am not. Just learning from experience. I had to move my #8 broody today raining and all. My #9 broody took over her nest yesterday. #9 is grandma to #8, well I thought I'll just let grandma have an egg. nope she wanted the works nest and all so I just picked up mama and her 2 eggs put her in a box with some of the nesting material and eggs moved her to our small coop that we made into a duplex just in case of times like these. She'll have to stay cooped up for a few days till she accepts it. but at least she'll be safe and have some peace till hatch day the 7th of june. Have ducklings due to hatch nest Thursday,

well 2 more chicks are on their own as of today. 5 weeks old and mama slept with them last night then left them to their selves this morning. so now we have 8 paling around together. so cute to see them all bundled up on the roost together.

 

[Babyban]

Hi, I am new to this I have 2 bantam hens and a cockrel. We have had them for about six weeks now and now both the hens are broody. There is only a small nest box which they are both laying in. Babyban the smallest one started to lay on her egg and one of Tams eggs on Sunday so I left her with them. Tam laid another egg in the same nest on Monday which I took out. Then on Tuesday both Babyban and Tam went into the nest box together laying on the eggs now 3 in total. I don't know if this will be alright or not. They do both fit in but it is a tight fit. will they be ok sharing the nest? and do I leave the chicks with them if they hatch? any advice will be most welcome.