Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[BarnGoddess01]

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I admire your strength!!! I'm not sure I'll ever have the heart to break up a broody. Even if I get up to 14 like poor old stonykill - although I'll run out of space eventually because I only have 8 nest boxes and 8 cages!!!!

well one reason I have the strength to do this is because 2 of these girls have already been mamas this year and Including them I had 9 broodys to hatch chicks, so I am way done for this year.

Serious case of broody envy going on here. I've had chickens for 3 years now and only ever had 2 broodies - and the first one barely counted because it was a disaster.

I understand Marans can tend toward broodiness so I'm hoping for better results in the future.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Hi and Congrats on hatch day tomorrow, we will look for pics. Layer isn't good for baby chicks can cause kidney damage from too much calcium. They need chick starter/grower. and all the chickens can eat it just put some oyster shell out for your layers till your chicks get old enough to eat layer. Let us know about the hatch...

Thank you...I'll make a run to feed store for chick starter... Most just carry the medicated type tho and I'm not sure how that wil affect older girls..and eggs

Layers should not eat medicated. Hopefully if you can't get non med. get Purina Flock Raiser crumbles, it's for all ages of chickens.

 

[bobcart]

I'm just getting started, but can tell this is going to be as slow as Christmas. I put 16 mixed eggs under a broody Dominique hen on labor day - seemed appropriate! She proved out after a few days of falsies and is hanging tight. She is in the nest box as I hate to move her and don't have a broody box as of yet. In looking, I'm thinking other hens are dropping eggs in with her. Dominiques are medium sized and 16 is pushing the limit. I think I'll have to go look and count and mark what's there so I can remove new ones.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Be a good idea to mark them, and try to find her an out of the way nest inside the coop if you don't want to move her outside of the coop. That way the others can still lay in the favorite nest box. Just don't let her get off the new nest for a few days till she makes it her own. And 16 is pushing it and if more are being added ,some will get broken when others climb in the nest to lay their eggs.

 

[bobcart]

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Be a good idea to mark them, and try to find her an out of the way nest inside the coop if you don't want to move her outside of the coop. That way the others can still lay in the favorite nest box. Just don't let her get off the new nest for a few days till she makes it her own. And 16 is pushing it and if more are being added ,some will get broken when others climb in the nest to lay their eggs.

Thank you for the advice. I checked and found 2 extra eggs! I didn't lift her all the way out, so there may well be one or two more, but at least 18. Two were not even warm on the perimeter. I could pull those, but figured I don't want to eat them now, don't know how old they are and maybe they will hatch. Now I'm thinking it would be best to have pulled them out to eliminate breakage and increase the odds that she can keep the bulk warm. 16 seems to be the max for her. Thoughts? Should I candle first?

By the way, my mother lives outside of Hendersonville! Western NC is beautiful!

 

[bobcart]

Sorry to ask something already covered in this record length thread!!! I could easily make a barricade for the broody on the floor of the coop with room for the nest and chicks as a brooder too. A length of plywood and some hardware cloth and I'm done. However, I suppose I need to give her a door out prior to the hatch? Seems better for her than to lock her in even with food and water. If I did have a door though, I wonder if the other hens would still try to lay in there? They see this hard working mama and figure what better place to lay...

 

[perchie.girl]

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I used to wire my mommas in completely with chicken wire.... nest on ground though. Id give them about three feet square of space. Of course Id put in food and water first. chick food and water too. It wasnt pretty but kept everyone safe.

 

[Miss Lydia]

perchie.girl :

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I used to wire my mommas in completely with chicken wire.... nest on ground though. Id give them about three feet square of space. Of course Id put in food and water first. chick food and water too. It wasnt pretty but kept everyone safe.

X2 bobcart, good idea!​

 

[BarnGoddess01]

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I used to wire my mommas in completely with chicken wire.... nest on ground though. Id give them about three feet square of space. Of course Id put in food and water first. chick food and water too. It wasnt pretty but kept everyone safe.

X2 bobcart, good idea!

x3 Dog crate works as well (with a cardboard barrier around the bottom to prevent tiny chicks from getting lost)

 

[Jloeffler]

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Thank you...I'll make a run to feed store for chick starter... Most just carry the medicated type tho and I'm not sure how that wil affect older girls..and eggs

Layers should not eat medicated. Hopefully if you can't get non med. get Purina Flock Raiser crumbles, it's for all ages of chickens.

That's what think imfoing to use when the chicks finish their medicated bag and the layers finish their bag. Seems like it would be easier all around!

Miss Lydia, sounds like after 9 broodies you need a condolence card too!!