Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Soap Junkie]

Thanks to all who replied! They are so cute!

 

[bobbieschicks]

I have never had a broody hen ever and now all of sudden I have a black aust. sitting on eggs for 2 days now. Alot of the straw got kicked out can I add more straw when she gets up to eat? If yes should I put it under the eggs?

She may not like the straw. You could try putting pine shavings in too under the eggs. I've made three broody nests with lovely straw since that's what they have in the nest boxes. All three times the broodies moved their eggs off the straw and onto the pine shavings to sit.

 

[JakRat]

To move or not to move?

I have 2 broodies and right now they are in the coop. I have done very little to interfere with this batch. The last time one of them sat I brought her into the house for the entire time. My husband was not a fan, but the other girls were causing her problems and we had an egg break and it was really cold. Now that she has a buddy sitting with her, they seem to be keeping the area clean and neat. The only thing I am worried about though is when the babies hatch. The other 2 girls are still laying their eggs in the one girls nest ( no matter what I tried they refused to lay in the 2 new ones I set out). Do I need to be worried when they hatch? Also to get down to the food, the chicks would have to go down a ramp. I am worried that they will fall off and die. If I do move them, my husband would want it to be at the very last moment possible. When is the last possible time for me to move them?

 

[bobbieschicks]

Thanks, bobbieschicks.  It is so encouraging to know that there is a chance that they can stay together. The broody has been in a dog house in the main pen, so elevation won't be a problem. The other hens have been helping the broody with the eggs. They sit on the eggs when mom takes a break, so I am hoping they will accept the chicks.  I did loose a few eggs to the visitors, but I wanted to keep them together.  The broody is a low ranking hen, and I thought removing her might create more problems, so I will have to keep an eye on things.  I guess I will have to give chick feed to everyone, and provide extra calcium, because the older chickens alway steal the chick feed, and don't eat their own feed.

Yes, everyone loves the chick feed and ignores their layer rations.

My Topsy was lowest when she went broody, but since has moved up a little because of babies coming of age. She has done a fine job of staying safe and keeping her two silky babies safe.

 

[plantcityhomestead]

I went out to do evening chores and there were chicks! Three days early. First chicks born here. I am so excited.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Awh so cute! Congrats!

I went out to do evening chores and there were chicks! Three days early. First chicks born here. I am so excited.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Here's a video of Onyx and her babies. I candled the two eggs that didn't hatch. They were duds. So here are my 9 babies! There are 2 yellow, 2 grey/blue, 1 black, and 4 chipmunk stripes. (This is the first time I've posted a video on BYC - hope it works!

Onyx looks like she's loving being able to dust bathe in the pine shavings after sitting on those eggs so long! And she kicks up dust/shavings all over the chicks - and they aren't bothered by it at all.

Adorable

 

[Miss Lydia]

I went out to do evening chores and there were chicks! Three days early. First chicks born here. I am so excited.

Beautiful mama hen and chicks. Congrats!!

 

[Tripp16]

Ok weird question! Henriettas (Barred rock broody) chicks turned 3 weeks old saturday and will be 4 weeks old this coming saturday. Well today she was investigating the nest boxes where everyone else lays and acted like she was going to lay. Her chicks still want her to mother them because they peep constantly but she seems to be back to her old self, except at night they still sleep together.

Can they lay after 3 weeks of hatching?

 

[bobbieschicks]

Ok weird question! Henriettas (Barred rock broody) chicks turned 3 weeks old saturday and will be 4 weeks old this coming saturday. Well today she was investigating the nest boxes where everyone else lays and acted like she was going to lay. Her chicks still want her to mother them because they peep constantly but she seems to be back to her old self, except at night they still sleep together.

Can they lay after 3 weeks of hatching?

Smokey started acting like she might be trying to lay around that time, but she didn't start until they were 5 weeks old.

Topsy is sleeping in the nest boxes at night with her 4 week olds. But that's the same thing smokey did last time. This time Smokey is still on the ground with her babies.