Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Fuffy]

I swore I would leave Hermione in the coop with the others this time.

On the very first night 2 of her 4 falsies were shoved out of the 'favourite' nest.

So I gave her the broody house immediately next door to the hen house. All the others were so curious that she threatened to snap out of her broodiness!

So now we have the broody house in the main run inside one of those puppy play pens. She can see all the others and they can see her.

The plan is to allow her to integrate the babies when she wants.

Watch this space!

 

[Miss Lydia]

My newest little bantam hatched yesterday, another hatched late yestrday don't have a pic of it yet, kinda blurry sorry

 

[bobbieschicks]

My newest little bantam hatched yesterday, another hatched late yestrday don't have a pic of it yet, kinda blurry sorry

Adorable!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Question about post broody behavior, Smokey is getting up on the roost at night. Her almost 6 week olds are trying to snuggle around her, but she's pecking the two Wellies as if to force them away. I believe they are both roosters. She isn't pecking the AM, and I think it's a pullet. What is that behavior all about? Is it because they are roosters? Has she just had enough of her babies? She hardly spends time with them during the day. Is the "momma" phase over?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Question about post broody behavior, Smokey is getting up on the roost at night. Her almost 6 week olds are trying to snuggle around her, but she's pecking the two Wellies as if to force them away. I believe they are both roosters. She isn't pecking the AM, and I think it's a pullet. What is that behavior all about? Is it because they are roosters? Has she just had enough of her babies? She hardly spends time with them during the day. Is the "momma" phase over?

Yep mama phase is over. She maybe a little more tolerant of the pullet but that to will pass. I have a hard time with this part, but I know mama know whats best.

 

[JakRat]

Could it be gapeworm? I read somewhere that gapeworm causes them to open and close their mouths - may look like they're throwing up.

Nah it is for sure her crop. My husband says that she is doing ok though. I wont know until I go back home on Wednesday. We are kind of hoping that it will just go away on its own....

 

[JakRat]

Oh, for sure!

Pretty cool to watch the process. I'm self-employed, and with this economy I'm super frugal with time, incubation adventures seem out of the question. Although I've been going out to the coop pretty often, lol!

I'd love to be able to take the wire down sooner than later so they can integrate. I wonder if having the babes raise the hens in the pecking order? My Rock isn't the highest, but she never gets picked on. She doesn't really do any picking either... she's just BIG so excepted I suppose. I'd love to see the squaring off with your russell! Funny! Animals in general are funny. I'm a former city gal who feels late Grandpa's farming genetics surface suddenly! Thanks for all the input--

I wouldnt worry about the wire down. My mama hen does just fine with everyone. We have had a few scares, but nothing to severe. I am not sure what order they are in in the pecking order, but everyone seems to know that they are babies. Even our jack russlle does the nibble on their neck thing and its adorable... then he gets attacked by mom I will post the video as soon as I get home.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Okay I figured it might be something like that. Too bad - I know the little ones aren't ready to give her up. But that would explain why she pecks at them now. I guess I just thought they would always stay close, like a little family.

Yep mama phase is over. She maybe a little more tolerant of the pullet but that to will pass. I have a hard time with this part, but I know mama know whats best.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Okay I figured it might be something like that. Too bad - I know the little ones aren't ready to give her up. But that would explain why she pecks at them now. I guess I just thought they would always stay close, like a little family.

My mama Scarlet, has been hanging with the rooster for a couple days now and her babies aren't even 4 weeks old [thurs] this morning when I went to let everyone out the 2 little ones are standing in the middle of the coop by themselves peeping while mama and roo are off in the corner digging in the shaving, made me so upset i scooped up the roo and have him in one of the duck stalls, feel like getting dh to chop off a head, don't know what I'll do except wait till it's warmed up and let him out.

so frustrating when they do this.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Yeah I'm sure if I still had Foghorn - Smokey would have been hanging with him instead of her babies. She had pretty much stopped hanging around them at 4 weeks old too. At night she moved up to the roost and they had to fly up and hang out with her. She started pecking them. I'd find the Wellies and AM sitting in the nest boxes and put them on the roost with her. I don't think she cared much for that. During the day the babies would come up to her, but she she was always rushing off with the other chickens to places and leaving the babies behind. One day it was pretty chilly so I was happy to see her let them under her wings for a time. I guess she figures the chicks are old enough to be on their own. Just seems so cruel after her being so loving towards them. I have to keep reminding myself they are chickens and not humans - so they don't have the same emotions we have.

for Scarlett's babies - hopefully it's warm where you are and they will be fine without her warmth. Our weather is finally in the 60/70F in the day and 40/50F in the evening. So I know the babies aren't getting cold without her.

My mama Scarlet, has been hanging with the rooster for a couple days now and her babies aren't even 4 weeks old [thurs] this morning when I went to let everyone out the 2 little ones are standing in the middle of the coop by themselves peeping while mama and roo are off in the corner digging in the shaving, made me so upset i scooped up the roo and have him in one of the duck stalls, feel like getting dh to chop off a head, don't know what I'll do except wait till it's warmed up and let him out.

so frustrating when they do this.