Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[stonykill]

- as soon as you don't want a broody again

I don't understand these words used together like this

 

[bobbieschicks]

They do that, crazy hens. I put my waterers and feeders up on pieces of scrap wood and make something like steps for them to get to it, they still seem to get shaving in it but not to the point they don't have water. I mix my scratch in with my crumble works good here. since the mamas like to teach the chicks to scratch I'll put some in the feeder and also put some on the floor. 

Topsy was very delicate with her area, but Smokey trashed the place. I had to replace the waterer several times a day due to shavings covering the thing and drying up the water. Her food was scattered everywhere. Some broodies are really pigs!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Sorry double posted.

 

[bobbieschicks]

  I don't understand these words used together like this 

Haha! Yes I suppose you wouldn't.

 

[myby]

So here is the update of my broodies.
Henny Penny (Blue Cochin) was given on 7/1 three Buff Orpingtons. On 7/4 a Blue Cochin hatched.
Sue, same breed, was given 7/8 also three Buff Orpintons. On 7/10 hatched a Blue Cochin.
This morning the first hen took all 8 chicks and went down the coop, the other hen kept in the nest with the two eggs that were left. I decided to stole at least the chick that she hatched yesterday and place it back with its own momma. The thief hen did not complain, which makes me think she knew what she was doing.
This afternoon, Sue left the nest and was out of the coop also with only one chick, the thief hen with 7 chicks.

The coop has now a rooster, two hens, a 3 month old pullet (another 3 month old pullet is out for peaking the chick), 8 chicks. My husband told the neighboors that we were going to get up to twelve. Umm, I am in 13 now, and convincing myself that my hen will be content with only one chick.
So in March I started with 4 chickens, and in middle of July I have 13, can someone explain me what just happened!

Due to the heat I moved the coop to a roof area and had a fan running almost daily. I think this weekend I will move the coop back, but I am needing a bigger coop! I am glad none of my hens died of heat.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

So here is the update of my broodies.
Henny Penny (Blue Cochin) was given on 7/1 three Buff Orpingtons.  On 7/4 a Blue Cochin hatched.
Sue, same breed, was given 7/8 also three Buff Orpintons.  On 7/10 hatched a Blue Cochin.
This morning the first hen took all 8 chicks and went down the coop, the other hen kept in the nest with the two eggs that were left.  I decided to stole at least the chick that she hatched yesterday and place it back with its own momma.  The thief hen did not complain, which makes me think she knew what she was doing.
This afternoon, Sue left the nest and was out of the coop also with only one chick, the thief hen with 7 chicks.

The coop has now a rooster, two hens, a 3 month old pullet (another 3 month old pullet is out for peaking the chick), 8 chicks.  My husband told the neighboors that we were going to get up to twelve.  Umm, I am in 13 now, and convincing myself that my hen will be content with only one chick.
So in March I started with 4 chickens, and in middle of July I have 13, can someone explain me what just happened!

 
Due to the heat I moved the coop to a roof area and had a fan running almost daily.  I think this weekend I will move the coop back, but I am needing a bigger coop!  I am glad none of my hens died of heat.

What happened... Hummm... Chicken Physics.


I may be experiencing that here too. Snowi is sitting in the classic broody pose. . She can't seem to make up her mind but seems to be moving towards broody.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Haha! Yes I suppose you wouldn't.

 

[Miss Lydia]

So here is the update of my broodies.
Henny Penny (Blue Cochin) was given on 7/1 three Buff Orpingtons. On 7/4 a Blue Cochin hatched.
Sue, same breed, was given 7/8 also three Buff Orpintons. On 7/10 hatched a Blue Cochin.
This morning the first hen took all 8 chicks and went down the coop, the other hen kept in the nest with the two eggs that were left. I decided to stole at least the chick that she hatched yesterday and place it back with its own momma. The thief hen did not complain, which makes me think she knew what she was doing.
This afternoon, Sue left the nest and was out of the coop also with only one chick, the thief hen with 7 chicks.

The coop has now a rooster, two hens, a 3 month old pullet (another 3 month old pullet is out for peaking the chick), 8 chicks. My husband told the neighboors that we were going to get up to twelve. Umm, I am in 13 now, and convincing myself that my hen will be content with only one chick.
So in March I started with 4 chickens, and in middle of July I have 13, can someone explain me what just happened!

Due to the heat I moved the coop to a roof area and had a fan running almost daily. I think this weekend I will move the coop back, but I am needing a bigger coop! I am glad none of my hens died of heat.

Congrats on the hatches, sounds like your a pro at chicken math already.

 

[bobbieschicks]

No, no, no - you're going about it all wrong. You don't have 13 chickens! Here, let me explain it to you...

Here's the math:
13 physical chickens
- 8 because you can't count the babies as they are too young to matter in the coop calculation and some will be cockerels needing to be rehomed.
=5 So that drops your number back to 5 chickens.
-1 And you can subtract that pullet that isn't in the coop because she pecked the babies
=4 that brings you down to 4!

You say you plan to have twelve - well you better get busy because you only have FOUR! hahahaha

So here is the update of my broodies.
Henny Penny (Blue Cochin) was given on 7/1 three Buff Orpingtons. On 7/4 a Blue Cochin hatched.
Sue, same breed, was given 7/8 also three Buff Orpintons. On 7/10 hatched a Blue Cochin.
This morning the first hen took all 8 chicks and went down the coop, the other hen kept in the nest with the two eggs that were left. I decided to stole at least the chick that she hatched yesterday and place it back with its own momma. The thief hen did not complain, which makes me think she knew what she was doing.
This afternoon, Sue left the nest and was out of the coop also with only one chick, the thief hen with 7 chicks.

The coop has now a rooster, two hens, a 3 month old pullet (another 3 month old pullet is out for peaking the chick), 8 chicks. My husband told the neighboors that we were going to get up to twelve. Umm, I am in 13 now, and convincing myself that my hen will be content with only one chick.
So in March I started with 4 chickens, and in middle of July I have 13, can someone explain me what just happened!

Due to the heat I moved the coop to a roof area and had a fan running almost daily. I think this weekend I will move the coop back, but I am needing a bigger coop! I am glad none of my hens died of heat.

 

[Wynette]

Wynette- that is what I want to do but I am not sure if I am in the clear yet. I added more details to the post, key being that when I made her leave Summer and her eggs alone she left the coop. I put in a golfball and I will see if she tries to hatch that. May also add more if I can find them.

Edit to add:
I have put an egg(infertile) and a golfball it her fav spot but she just seems to want to get to Summer. Not sure what that means... ?

Hmmm....I'm no expert, but if she seems to want to lay in someone else's clutch, then I would think that means she's not broody herself. I have read on here where folks can "entice" a hen who has been broody before to go broody again when the timing is better, but it seems like if they're good, they're really good, but if not, they never will be. I'm sure there are execeptions, though!

Update on my Jersey Giant who has just ONE egg left of her clutch. Well, she seemed to be sitting really tight on that last egg for the last 4-5 days. It's due to hatch Saturday. Last night it got down to 56...and was still 56 when I got to the barn at 5:30 this morning. Egg was a few inches from her, and was cold. I just don't get it, as she STILL seems to be snug & tight on what she "thinks" is her nest! Sigh. So, though I WAS holding hope for this egg to hatch, now...not so much.

It's day 4 for my broody Marans hen. She's a new broody also, but does seem to be sitting tight on her eggs so far!

I got smarter this time and split the eggs that I had - half to broody and half in my incubator.