Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[TheRookie]

They are in a pen because I'm scared she will take the babies and run to the woods with them. I guess Ill just continue to do what Im doing, the babies always seem to have full crops when I glance in during the day. Since she is in a relatively small pen, I HAVE to be able to catch her and her babies in order to at least move the pen around. Otherwise they will be stuck on a patch of dirt with no grass and no bugs for the next 5 weeks. I appreciate your advice. I will leave them with her.

 

[stonykill]

They are in a pen because I'm scared she will take the babies and run to the woods with them. I guess Ill just continue to do what Im doing, the babies always seem to have full crops when I glance in during the day. Since she is in a relatively small pen, I HAVE to be able to catch her and her babies in order to at least move the pen around. Otherwise they will be stuck on a patch of dirt with no grass and no bugs for the next 5 weeks. I appreciate your advice. I will leave them with her.

isn't there a coop section of this pen, like a chicken tractor? Move the pen before you open the door in the morning. If they aren't cooped at night they aren't safe.

 

[bobbieschicks]

One hen I had would only settle for perfectly ripe strawberries, the only 'treat' she would take from my hand. Not something they are used to...I tossed a few over ripe tomatoes for them and I could have just been throwing rocks instead...guess I'm lax in the spoiling section. I figure they get really good food and free range forage, I'm happy they bother to come home.

I was tossing cherry tomatoes to my chickens as a treat. At first they looked at them like there was no way they were touching those things. Then the EE/WL mix pullet walked over and pecked one and it was like she flipped their switch. Suddenly they all wanted a tomato.

I guess they watched where I pulled them from because now I see them go into the garden and pick their own tomatoes to eat. Lol!

 

[yo burrill]

I dont give mine anything out of the garden while it is growing. I dont want them thinking its an all you can eat buffet. So far so good they go lay under the potatoes and eat all the bugs that they can find and leave my maters and other stuff alone. Just the way I like it. The young Chicks that are still penned do get treats though. My Black Broody is sitting on 10 eggs right now and they are all growing so far. If they all hatch Im going to have 30 banties for winter!!! UH OH!!!

Time to start building a bigger coop I guess.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I dont give mine anything out of the garden while it is growing. I dont want them thinking its an all you can eat buffet. So far so good they go lay under the potatoes and eat all the bugs that they can find and leave my maters and other stuff alone. Just the way I like it. The young Chicks that are still penned do get treats though. My Black Broody is sitting on 10 eggs right now and they are all growing so far. If they all hatch Im going to have 30 banties for winter!!! UH OH!!!

Time to start building a bigger coop I guess.

Hahaha - I found that out the hard way. I've gone out to check on the chicks before and my big fat Lavender Orpingtons will come waddling out of the weedy mess that is a garden. I gave up this year and figured at least they can enjoy it. Hoping to get those weeds under control next year and actually have a harvest.

No babies yet - today is Day 20. Those two broodies are sitting tight to the floor. I sooooo want to lift them up and check - but I can't see through those Maran eggs and I don't want to mess up the hatch. If no activity by Monday I'll candle the best I can and then move on to plan B - local or shipped chicks.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Ok, day 21. I had 4/7 hatch yesterday so now I am waiting on three Silkie babies! One hatched later last night and the LF eggs all hatched within a few hours of each other. Man I love this! Just need to convince DH that an incubator downstairs isn't such a bad thing...

 

[stonykill]

Ok, day 21. I had 4/7 hatch yesterday so now I am waiting on three Silkie babies! One hatched later last night and the LF eggs all hatched within a few hours of each other. Man I love this! Just need to convince DH that an incubator downstairs isn't such a bad thing...

congrats! Broody's are MUCH better than incubating. I've done a LOT of both. Broody's are much better and the chicks are so much better off

 

[bobbieschicks]

congrats! Broody's are MUCH better than incubating. I've done a LOT of both. Broody's are much better and the chicks are so much better off

I like having the bator just in case something goes wrong with the broody hatching the eggs. After I spend so much on fertile shipped eggs I want to at least get a couple to hatch. But definitely love having a broody take care of everything if at all possible.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Ok, day 21. I had 4/7 hatch yesterday so now I am waiting on three Silkie babies! One hatched later last night and the LF eggs all hatched within a few hours of each other. Man I love this! Just need to convince DH that an incubator downstairs isn't such a bad thing...

Yeah! Congrats! Hope you get your silkies too.

 

[Johnn]

After seeing all your lots posts about protective mothers, mebys my orp isn't actually a good mother, she was more protective over the eggs than the chicks. Like if i picked her chick up she would just run to me then walk away untill i put it down. The first time she got agressive was when melow first left her alone with both when she ripper my skin open and tried flapping at me, but now she just pecks me and runs away if i get the chicks, the only good thing she does is that she wont leave the chicks behind when they all run in a flock to come for food, if she hears the tweet she runs back to get them ... so is she a good mother or not??