Our first broody

[ewerbos]

My husband and I are just starting our second year raising chickens, and we just got our first broody (a buff orpington, year old)! She started sitting last Sunday (a week and a half ago), and we gave her a dozen hatching eggs from a local farm a week ago today. We're leaving her in the nest box in the coop for now, since we're worried about disturbing her, but will probably move her to a separate box after the chicks hatch (currently occupied by some 9 week old pullets).

The nest box is elevated off the floor; I think we might try to close it off close to hatch to prevent issues with chicks, but not sure about that. I'm still feeling a little confused about the logistics, and I think we'll partly play it by ear--We weren't expecting extra chicks and will be fine with or without them, so this is mostly an experiment!

So far she seems pretty committed--We haven't caught her off her nest, but have seen some icky broody poops in the coop.

(right now we have 6 year-old laying hens and 8 9-week old pullets)

Here she is!:

 

[sourland]

Sounds like you have a good plan 'B' in mind. Just monitor closely as the chicks start to hatch. I would be tempted to put a higher 'lip' across the front of the next box as an added protection for the chicks. Good luck for a successful hatch.

 

[ewerbos]

Sounds like you have a good plan 'B' in mind. Just monitor closely as the chicks start to hatch. I would be tempted to put a higher 'lip' across the front of the next box as an added protection for the chicks. Good luck for a successful hatch.

Thanks for the tip! That's a great idea. I was thinking I'd have to close off the whole thing, but just a little bit of a higher lip would be easier (and let our hen get out also if she needs to). The opening is about 9 inches high now, maybe another 2.5" furring strip and she'd still be able to get out?

 

[ewerbos]

She's still sitting... However, other hens are definitely laying in with her, and we didn't mark the eggs before we gave them to her! There were 19 a couple of days ago (the only time we ever caught her off the nest). I am thinking of sneaking in at night and pulling them out and candling them one by one--at this point (a week and a half in) I think even someone as inexperienced as myself will be able to tell which eggs will be developing. My husband really doesn't want to disturb her at all, but I think we're in for trouble if we don't do something about all the extra eggs ASAP.

 

[Bbbbeavers]

I'm just going through my first hatch myself, but I think taking them off and candling will be a good idea. I have been relying on this website's day-by-day update and the candling pictures have helped a ton: https://www.raising-happy-chickens.com/hatch-patterns.html

 

[ewerbos]

That's really cool! I did end up candling and marking them last night (found 12 that looked fertilized, marked them and removed the [8!!] others). The ones that were fertilized did look about 10-12 days as per those pictures (though I wasn't looking closely, was just trying to distinguish between fertilized and not).

She had a bunch behind her that were a little cooler, and those were all the "bad" ones, so it seems she is indeed able to tell the difference, as she should.

 

[ewerbos]

Hatching day (day 21 right on schedule)! 3 out so far, two fluffy, one still wet! (wet one can't be seen in this picture. I also added the extra wood barrier in front, which also isn't super visible).

 

[ewerbos]

Here's a picture of the adjusted nest box--It's only about 6" high. Is she going to be able to get out to do her business?

 

[beckycrouch5115]

congrats on your new babies!! Looks like she's being a good momma 2! Buff's are such pretty birds!

 

[ewerbos]

10 hatched! Though one is looking iffy. She made a stinky poop in the nest, so we moved her to a broody area in the coop, as well as the last two eggs. She settled down on top of them and the peepers crawled in also; we're not super hopeful about the last two, but she seems to be. (Picture from before the move)