Please refresh my memory on natural broody hen nesting behaviour

[GardenJen77]

This is our second time allowing a broody hen to lay on a clutch of eggs to hatch. It's been almost a year since our last experience.

I'm concerned that she may not be getting off the nest at all to eat or drink. Thoughts?

She's in our main coop, but I'd like to move her and her nest to the segregation coop that's set up for babies. Plus I could give her different food than the rest of the flock that the chicks can eat as well. But, I think I may lose a bit of flesh just trying.

The segregation coop is in a fenced off section of the main pen, where everyone can still see each other.

Thoughts?

I think she's due to hatch next week. But, I believe she's collected a few more eggs from the ones we first knew of. Will they be fine hatching at different times?

 

[The Happster]

they be fine hatching at different times

That depends on how far apart they are.
My girl managed fine when her chicks were two days apart. Much more than that and it could cause problems. See how you go.

I'd like to move her and her nest to the segregation coop that's set up for babies

If you move them, you run the risk of her getting off.
Is it possible for you to move her just after the chicks hatch? That's what I have found works for me best.

I'm concerned that she may not be getting off the nest at all to eat or drink. Thoughts?

I generally take my broodies out every day twice, myself, and watch them eat and drink, to give myself peace of mind.
It's likely she is coming out, but not when you're there.
I would take her out for ten minute breaks though. It'll make you feel better to know she's eating, drinking and pooping.

That could be harder if she pecks you. You can wear gloves though.

Hopefully this helps. This is just how I do it.
And enjoy your hatching!

 

[GardenJen77]

That depends on how far apart they are.
My girl managed fine when her chicks were two days apart. Much more than that and it could cause problems. See how you go.

If you move them, you run the risk of her getting off.
Is it possible for you to move her just after the chicks hatch? That's what I have found works for me best.


I generally take my broodies out every day twice, myself, and watch them eat and drink, to give myself peace of mind.
It's likely she is coming out, but not when you're there.
I would take her out for ten minute breaks though. It'll make you feel better to know she's eating, drinking and pooping.

That could be harder if she pecks you. You can wear gloves though.

Hopefully this helps. This is just how I do it.
And enjoy your hatching!

Thanks so much for your answers. They all make sense!! I will wait to move her. Maybe her getting off her nest to eat and drink is how she ended up with far more eggs than we remembered. Lol.

 

[The Happster]

Let me know how many hatch!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm concerned that she may not be getting off the nest at all to eat or drink. Thoughts?

I've seen broody hens leave the nest twice a day for over an hour each time in hot weather. In cooler weather I've seen a hen come off once a day for about 15 minutes. Often I don't see them coming off at all, or rarely, but I know they are coming off because they don't poop in the nest. Some people I trust on here say they have had hens that never come off but I've never experienced that. Still, when you deal with living animals anything is possible.

Before a hen even starts to lay she builds up an excess of fat. Most of it is in her pelvic region in what is called a fat pad but more is scattered around. I've butchered enough pullets and hens to see that. That fat is mostly what a broody hen lives off of while broody so she doesn't have to spend her time looking for food. Instead she takes care of her eggs. The hen will lose weight while broody but it's just fat put there for that purpose.

I think she's due to hatch next week. But, I believe she's collected a few more eggs from the ones we first knew of. Will they be fine hatching at different times?

Could be an issue. That would be what we call a staggered hatch. Some eggs could hatch long before others are close. The chicks absorb the yolk before they hatch so they can live 72 hours or more before they have to eat or drink, but at some time the hen has to decide whether to bring the hungry ones off the nest or wait on eggs that haven't hatched. Most of the time they choose the ones that have hatched. Before an egg hatches but after internal pip the chick starts chirping. That tells the hen another is on the way. If a late egg has internal pipped the hen could have a tough choice to make.

The way I avoid this is to collect all the eggs I want her to hatch and mark them before I give hem to her. I use a black Sharpie. They all start at the same time so they all hatch about the same time. No staggered hatch.

Maybe her getting off her nest to eat and drink is how she ended up with far more eggs than we remembered.

Probably not.. Often a broody lets other hens lay eggs in her nest when she is still on it. Some may lay while she is off the nest. Broody hens have been known to carry an egg from a different nest back to theirs. It is pretty common for a hen to wind up with more eggs at the end of the day. There is a solution to this. After the other hens have laid for he day I check under the broody and remove any eggs that don't belong. As long as you do this every day you can still use those eggs, you will not find any surprises in them.

Most of my broody hens aren't that vicious but occasionally you can get one that can draw blood when pecking. Rare but it can happen. I just put up with it, it is really rare and after a few nights she usually calms down. But wear gloves and long sleeves. This might be a good time to take her out of the nest and set her on the ground to see if she eats and drinks then.

One way to avoid all this is to isolate her from the flock while she is incubating. Do this before you give her the eggs to see if she is going to accept the move or not. You can try moving her now but you take the chance she will not accept the move and will break from being broody.

Where you are right now, as a minimum I'd mark the eggs she has and start checking under her daily to remove any that don't belong. If she collects more eggs than she can cover some will get pushed out and cool off, possibly dying. Then they get back under her and others get pushed out. When that happens you often do not get good hatches.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[GardenJen77]

@Ridgerunner

Thank you for such thorough answers.

We've decided not to move the hen for now. Waiting for eggs to begin hatching.

She is a vicious broody right now. The kind that draws blood. Can't reach under her to check the eggs or remove any. She actually is out of a nesting box and right in front of it. Very difficult to work with. *sigh* She screams and carries on and gets the roosters and other chickens riled up if we try to mess with her. So we let her be. One of the "worst" broody hens we've dealt with, but last year a hen with similar attitude was a great momma. Hoping this will be the same case?!?

Should I invest in an incubator and carefully put any unhatched eggs in it after 2 days time once the first chicks arrive when we go to move her and chicks to segregation pen?

 

[The Happster]

The last broody I had hatch did peck me while she was on the nest, but once the chick hatched, she calmed down. She's a lovely hen, she was just protective.

It's always helpful to have an incubator there if you need it. If you're happy to buy one, go ahead and get one.
Just be aware you might find yourself overrun with chickens (if you aren't already!!) Because the urge to hatch is sometimes too strong to resist...

Keep us updated.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Should I invest in an incubator and carefully put any unhatched eggs in it after 2 days time once the first chicks arrive when we go to move her and chicks to segregation pen?

Some people do. The problem with that is how soon will the eggs hatch? It's still a staggered hatch so some may come out in a day or two while others may still be a week or more behind. How do you handle turning and humidity?

Since an egg doesn't really need to be turned after two weeks I probably would not bother turning them. What is the right humidity is harder to answer. I'd probably go fairly high but that puts the slow ones at risk. Another issue is that hatching is a messy business. Chicks start pooping pretty soon after hatch plus there is some goop associated with hatching. That can start to really stink in two or three days after the first one hatches.

How much are those unhatched chicks worth to you? I understand something changes about an egg when you start to incubate it, it becomes more precious. Think of the cost of an incubator, which might or might not get you more of these chicks. To me that's a lot of money unless you plan to hatch others later.

 

[GardenJen77]

I understand something changes about an egg when you start to incubate it, it becomes more precious. Think of the cost of an incubator, which might or might not get you more of these chicks. To me that's a lot of money unless you plan to hatch others later.

Exactly! Since I believe in the sanctity of life, it is hard to let unhatched babies just die a slow death. We were planning on starting to hatch our own chicks from now on in the spring instead of paying big bucks at the stores.

Would it not be a worthwhile investment? Asking a serious question since you seem a lot more educated in these matters. LOL If not, what would be the best way to quickly dispatch unhatched eggs humanely?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Would it not be a worthwhile investment?

That is your decision, not mine. To some people it would be, even if they never plan to hatch again. If you plan to hatch anyway, why not get one now?

what would be the best way to quickly dispatch unhatched eggs humanely?

You are not going to like my answer. To me humanely usually means quick and sure. The worst thing is an injury where suffering drags out. I can't think of anything quicker or surer than smashing them. Either hitting them with something hard and heavy or even stomping them. If they were out of the egg I'd have other thoughts but they are not. It feels barbaric but I'm not sure it is. It is certainly hard.

I don't know how well this would work on eggs or how humane it really is. Supposedly with carbon monoxide they would just go to sleep and peacefully pass away. I don't know how long it would take with eggs. There are techniques on the internet for hooking up a box to your car exhaust or mixing chemicals to create carbon monoxide. My main problem with this one is that I don't know how long it would take to be sure.

I don't now how inhumane it is to just let them cool off and die, especially if they haven't pipped. That is the way I'd go about it, I'd think their metabolism would just slow down and they'd go to sleep. No suffering. They'd just stop developing. Probably the easiest way on you and I don't think it is cruel. No worse than any other way.