OMG everybody's Broody!

[ChookaPete]

I have 3 broody Bresse hens out of 9 bresse and Australorp hens. 1 just hatched eggs and 1 just got DOCs. The 3rd will be stopped now that the other two have chicks. The 3rd is an awful mother and on the cull list anyways. I try and keep some hens for broodiness. The australorps are usually broody this time of year but only the bresse have gone broody so far.

Bresse! Wow! Where did you get them from?

I've heard that Bresse chickens are some of the best in France for meat birds, so you would get a great roast dinner from that one on the cull list. I am sorry to read that she is not a good mother.


I mostly have egg production breed hens and they all so far have been good to chicks, even one who is a serial broody mama.

 

[Chicalina]

wow your idea is a lot easier LOL. So the broodies don't just sit on the coop floor and keep their chests warm in the bedding? Mine will even stay broody just out in the run keeping their breasts warm on the bedding/dust baths/2x4 perch....

They try that a bit but it's not very effective. The hormones seem to need a small enclosed darker space to REALLY proliferate. So they all snap out of it in 2 or 3 days with no nest box to sit in.

 

[Dhkoenig]

Would it work to put two broody hens together into the same broody breaker box/jail? [EDIT: I just saw Ridgerunner's comment.]

I just built my own 'Broody Box' and it is bigger than a wire dog crate. It could easily fit two broody hens.


I've had a broody mama raise some chicks and is now back to laying eggs (the month-old chicks still roost with their Mama), but given her history I do feel she will go broody again. I've had two other hens go broody too, and wonder of the days I'll also have four hens being broody at the same time.

 

[Dhkoenig]

Would it work to put two broody hens together into the same broody breaker box/jail? [EDIT: I just saw Ridgerunner's comment.]

I just built my own 'Broody Box' and it is bigger than a wire dog crate. It could easily fit two broody hens.


I've had a broody mama raise some chicks and is now back to laying eggs (the month-old chicks still roost with their Mama), but given her history I do feel she will go broody again. I've had two other hens go broody too, and wonder of the days I'll also have four hens being broody at the same time.

We think alike! My husband did that after I posted this and it came out great. I had three big girls in there overnight. Gonna check to see if any have broken yet. The buff (Fancy Pants) has been in jail serving time for 4 days. Speckles for 2 and Raven only went in yesterday.

 

[Dhkoenig]

I don't know what got into them, but last night I caught broody #21 in the nest box and moved her in with # 19 and # 20 of this year!

dang how many chickens do you have?

 

[Dhkoenig]

They try that a bit but it's not very effective. The hormones seem to need a small enclosed darker space to REALLY proliferate. So they all snap out of it in 2 or 3 days with no nest box to sit in.

Okay great to know if I get more than 4 and can't fit a 5th in the hen-a-tentury

 

[wrathsfarm]

And I'm over here with 8 so far...

"More eggs !! I need more EGGS !! STAT!!

 

[LaFleche]

dang how many chickens do you have?

28 plus 24 chicks.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

I have two broody now- both in a broody 2-seater up on blocks- I’m calling it Coupe De’ville because these girls are so mean

 

[Just Ranchin]

Bresse! Wow! Where did you get them from?

I've heard that Bresse chickens are some of the best in France for meat birds, so you would get a great roast dinner from that one on the cull list. I am sorry to read that she is not a good mother.


I mostly have egg production breed hens and they all so far have been good to chicks, even one who is a serial broody mama.

I have bresse from several different breeders. I don't recommend them personally. At least not from any of the breeders I purchased from. Not been a good experience all the way around. Partly because we don't feed like they do in France I'm sure. I have done a milk fed/fermented feed batch of breese roosters out though and wasn't impressed with the weights over the other's we raise. Plus they were quite aggressive with each other. Really needed to be in individual pens which wasn't doable for that many. I have not had any weight much more than our standard dual purpose birds to date personally. Slowly culling them out of the flock. Have a fortune in them.
I've not had any bad moms to date with the Australorps.