Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

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so cute featherz, looks great and I'm sure she doesn't care what color her chiks are just so long she has some.

 

[HappyTalons]

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You're right! Sex-links are produced for their LACK of broodiness.

Indeed, but this one goes broody every three months! After the 4th time we thought we'd see if we could make use of her to hatch eggs, mostly as an experiment. Definitely not a useful broody! Unfortunately that means we just have to put up with her broodiness.

You also need to take them off the nest to eat/drink, or at least leave some food and water near the nest so she can access it.

She had plenty of water and food a few feet from her, it just seemed like she wouldn't eat unless we practically shoved her beak into it.

Don't give up on broodies! They do such a great job, you just need to get the right broody! There are a lot of breeds that do an excellent job. Unfortunately, sex-links are definitely not on that list.

Yeah it will be a long time before I'll be interested in hatching more eggs, but I'll definitely keep the breed in mind next time, I sort of thought all broodies were the same. Though on reflection that was probably very naive.

 

[haTHOR]

gave FCBM mama's babes back even though she killed 2 by accident. wasnt ready to brood chicks myself as i already have six 6 wk olds. felt wrong but after a day of taking the remaining chicks inside for their safety, she was still looking everywhere--heartbreaking. i gave them back, set her up in her own small pen so no distractions or stress from other birds. then left it in her hands--no matter what.

24 hours later we still have 6 babies and she is strutting them around their pen. this is SO different than when my Black Java was the broody raising FCBM chicks. she (BJ) didn't bring them out of the broody box for a full week, and never stepped on any of them. FCBM broody is very clumsy with her feet...kicks them and steps on them quite a bit as she is digging up worms etc for them.

 

[hokankai]

Yeah I've noticed when Molly starts feverishly scratching she'll "kick" the babies if they get too close, haha. I think they're learning to stay out of the way though

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So I'm torn between leaving mama and babies in the coop with the rest of the girls or moving them to our roofed cement dog run/dog house. The babies are going to get big eventually and outgrow their 2x4 pen, but I didn't want to have to try and reintroduce anybody or make it complicated

. What do you think? Mama also tends to keep everyone else out of the coop when her and her babies are wandering...poor girls! Haha

 

[Miss Lydia]

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just my 2cents but I'd leave them their going to have a hard enough time when mama parts ways with them but if the are separated from the flock it will be all the harder.

 

[Equine_Angel]

My Momma Hen is a Momma! I was just arranging her water and food for her and then I saw this little beak poke out from her chest for a brief 10 seconds. I am so thrilled and excited to see how many more she has hatched underneath her. YAY!

In her brooder, should I put a heat lamp in the brooder for her and the chicks or will she be able to take care of the heat and all?

 

[PortageGirl]

Mamma is warm enough to keep them safe in the dead of winter. NO heat lamp! especially this time of year! Congrats to you and to mamma!

 

[kannna]

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hey just wondering if the chick hatched out yet?

Not yet. Still hopeful though. It's day 21 today. I am determined to stay out of it and let nature take it's course. The little one born yesterday is doing great. She's all over the place.

 

[hokankai]

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just my 2cents but I'd leave them their going to have a hard enough time when mama parts ways with them but if the are separated from the flock it will be all the harder.

yeah you're right. Once mom leaves the babies I'm going to have to take out the ones we aren't keeping though (they're going to a family friend), otherwise it would be WAY crowded in there!

 

[Miss Lydia]

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just my 2cents but I'd leave them their going to have a hard enough time when mama parts ways with them but if the are separated from the flock it will be all the harder.

yeah you're right. Once mom leaves the babies I'm going to have to take out the ones we aren't keeping though (they're going to a family friend), otherwise it would be WAY crowded in there!

Do you think everyone is getting over the sickness now?