Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bobbieschicks]

When I opened the door to let Smokey and her 2 day old babies out the rest of the flock came around to see what was happening. The WL roo got into the area with Smokey, picked up one of the Wellie babies by the neck and flung it! Smokey went crazy and attacked the roo. I grabbed him out of there and closed Smokey & her babies up. The next time I opened the door she came out with her babies while everyone was out freeranging. No one messed with the babies because Smokey would attack anyone who even looked their way. Smokey got into many scuffles at the start - even with the 2nd rooster - but soon the others just left her and the babies alone. There were some tense moments, but I kept an eye on her with her babies. She was a very good protector. She did a great job of showing them around and who to avoid. Those two roos are now gone - but I would probably still keep the mom & babies in their area until they are 4 days old before trying to let them out with her.

You have to look at your flock - my WL roo wasn't aggressive before and after that he didn't try anything with the babies - so I don't know why he suddenly attacked that one little Wellie. The other roo was a LO and he kept trying to get at Smokey - but that could have been just because he was getting attacked by the WL roo & it was a territorial thing.

I don't feel optimistic about putting the chicks and mom in with the rest of flock as I have a leghorn in there and she is VERY territorial. Mom is doing a great job with her babies. Makes me never want to brood chicks again! I have 12 more eggs in the incubator and I keep hoping someone else goes broody! If I put mom and chicks in with the rest of the flock, should I do it at night? Thanks for your input Zoo and Chicken!

 

[Miss Lydia]

checking in with you all...lea is sitting on 3, 2 ee's and a brown, i can see veins- so i am back to getting her into a broody area- nilly is on 3, josie is starting over as none showed development, and licorice is a holy terror if you even look at her babies- just to get a good look i had to crate her- gives a new understanding to a protective hen!

Boy it's just about been non stop at your house Robin, Congrats on it All!

 

[vmdanielsen]

When I opened the door to let Smokey and her 2 day old babies out the rest of the flock came around to see what was happening. The WL roo got into the area with Smokey, picked up one of the Wellie babies by the neck and flung it! Smokey went crazy and attacked the roo. I grabbed him out of there and closed Smokey & her babies up. The next time I opened the door she came out with her babies while everyone was out freeranging. No one messed with the babies because Smokey would attack anyone who even looked their way. Smokey got into many scuffles at the start - even with the 2nd rooster - but soon the others just left her and the babies alone. There were some tense moments, but I kept an eye on her with her babies. She was a very good protector. She did a great job of showing them around and who to avoid. Those two roos are now gone - but I would probably still keep the mom & babies in their area until they are 4 days old before trying to let them out with her.

You have to look at your flock - my WL roo wasn't aggressive before and after that he didn't try anything with the babies - so I don't know why he suddenly attacked that one little Wellie. The other roo was a LO and he kept trying to get at Smokey - but that could have been just because he was getting attacked by the WL roo & it was a territorial thing.

Thanks bobbieschicks. I may wait till they are a bit older. They are in a separate pen and I was hoping to eliminate a stop in the morning, feeding, cleaning etc.) What do people feed when the flock is a combination of layers,chick and moms?

 

[stonykill]

I don't feel optimistic about putting the chicks and mom in with the rest of flock as I have a leghorn in there and she is VERY territorial. Mom is doing a great job with her babies. Makes me never want to brood chicks again! I have 12 more eggs in the incubator and I keep hoping someone else goes broody! If I put mom and chicks in with the rest of the flock, should I do it at night? Thanks for your input Zoo and Chicken!

depends on your flock dynamics. I have a pen with a Sumatra roo, 2 flighty whacky white leghorns and 1 white E. my best broody "mama" brought her lil ones to the fence yesterday at that coop for a bite to eat. I was there watching as the 2 babies went thru the fence to eat. The white leghorns who are pretty much scared of everything, stood close by and watched. No issues. Mama let them eat for a few minutes, then called them back to her.
I just let mine do as they will with the rest of the flock. Never had a problem. someone upsets mama, they only do it once. She (any of the she's) lets them have it.

 

[AinaWGSD]

A few months ago we switched to an 18% "all flock" pellet that doesn't have the added calcium that layer pellets have. We chose it mostly because I wanted to switch from the crumbles, which my girls wasted a lot of, to pellets and it was the cheaper of the pelleted options (I think we only had like two or three options for pellets). But I have to admit, when looking at our feed options I did have the fact that roosters don't need that much calcium and if we were going to hatch and raise chicks they couldn't handle as much calcium as what's in layer pellets in the back of my mind so it did play some role in the choice. I have oyster shell available free choice for the laying hens and so far I haven't noticed a difference in the egg shells.

 

[bobbieschicks]

depends on your flock dynamics. I have a pen with a Sumatra roo, 2 flighty whacky white leghorns and 1 white E. my best broody "mama" brought her lil ones to the fence yesterday at that coop for a bite to eat. I was there watching as the 2 babies went thru the fence to eat. The white leghorns who are pretty much scared of everything, stood close by and watched. No issues. Mama let them eat for a few minutes, then called them back to her.
I just let mine do as they will with the rest of the flock. Never had a problem. someone upsets mama, they only do it once. She (any of the she's) lets them have it.

xs2

For me the WL roo wasn't the problem - the problem was me. I panicked when I saw him hurt the baby and wanted to separate him - but the baby wasn't hurt and Smokey could have taken care of the situation herself. If I would have stepped out of it Smokey would have had that under control in no time. Instead I tried to protect the babies and I finally had to just resolve to let things happen the way they happen and live with the consequences. When I made that resolve - Smokey was free to do her job of being a momma to those chicks. It's better to let the momma integrate those babies earlier so that they can learn how to move about the flock - who to avoid - who to bow down to, etc. the longer you wait - the harder it will be to get those babies into the bigger flock.

 

[vmdanielsen]

xs2

For me the WL roo wasn't the problem - the problem was me. I panicked when I saw him hurt the baby and wanted to separate him - but the baby wasn't hurt and Smokey could have taken care of the situation herself. If I would have stepped out of it Smokey would have had that under control in no time. Instead I tried to protect the babies and I finally had to just resolve to let things happen the way they happen and live with the consequences. When I made that resolve - Smokey was free to do her job of being a momma to those chicks. It's better to let the momma integrate those babies earlier so that they can learn how to move about the flock - who to avoid - who to bow down to, etc. the longer you wait - the harder it will be to get those babies into the bigger flock.

OK, maybe on Sunday when my husband and I are both around I will be brave and put the flock together!

A few months ago we switched to an 18% "all flock" pellet that doesn't have the added calcium that layer pellets have. We chose it mostly because I wanted to switch from the crumbles, which my girls wasted a lot of, to pellets and it was the cheaper of the pelleted options (I think we only had like two or three options for pellets). But I have to admit, when looking at our feed options I did have the fact that roosters don't need that much calcium and if we were going to hatch and raise chicks they couldn't handle as much calcium as what's in layer pellets in the back of my mind so it did play some role in the choice. I have oyster shell available free choice for the laying hens and so far I haven't noticed a difference in the egg shells.

I have never heard of all flock. Who makes it?

depends on your flock dynamics. I have a pen with a Sumatra roo, 2 flighty whacky white leghorns and 1 white E. my best broody "mama" brought her lil ones to the fence yesterday at that coop for a bite to eat. I was there watching as the 2 babies went thru the fence to eat. The white leghorns who are pretty much scared of everything, stood close by and watched. No issues. Mama let them eat for a few minutes, then called them back to her.
I just let mine do as they will with the rest of the flock. Never had a problem. someone upsets mama, they only do it once. She (any of the she's) lets them have it.

Stony, with your set up, chickens and roosters can get away and find places to hide. Because I pasture my birds, and there is limited space, do you think it would be a problem?

 

[stonykill]

OK, maybe on Sunday when my husband and I are both around I will be brave and put the flock together!


I have never heard of all flock. Who makes it?


Stony, with your set up, chickens and roosters can get away and find places to hide. Because I pasture my birds, and there is limited space, do you think it would be a problem?

If and when one of my penned Sumatra's or an EE go broody, my plan is to let her hatch in the coop, but with a wire fence divider. So everyone can see everyone. After a few days I would take it down. It seems the longer you wait to introduce newbies, the harder it can be.
my mama's don't hide. They are right in the middle of whatever is going on. Morning feedings right now consist of me being surrounded by 25 to 30 Sumatra's at a time, and at least 1 of the 3 mama's right there in the middle of it with their lil ones. no one bothers them. Could be a Sumatra trait however. You saw yourself how attentive the roo's are to the hens.

 

[chooniecat]

THINK I may have a broody. My Salmon Faverolles, Suzette, has been on eggs(black australorps) 48+ hrs. and from what I read she still may not set full 3 weeks so I am hoping hoping hoping.

 

[vmdanielsen]

If and when one of my penned Sumatra's or an EE go broody, my plan is to let her hatch in the coop, but with a wire fence divider. So everyone can see everyone. After a few days I would take it down. It seems the longer you wait to introduce newbies, the harder it can be.
my mama's don't hide. They are right in the middle of whatever is going on. Morning feedings right now consist of me being surrounded by 25 to 30 Sumatra's at a time, and at least 1 of the 3 mama's right there in the middle of it with their lil ones. no one bothers them. Could be a Sumatra trait however. You saw yourself how attentive the roo's are to the hens.

I have to say I like the way that all your chickens roamed about with contentment. The best way to do it, if you can.