Questions on broody chickens

[Chicken poppy]

Hi everyone! I have a few questions, any help is appreciated!

1. How often is it that a broody will abandon her nest/eggs? I don’t have a incubator, so i would be very dependent on the broody not doing that.

2. Does a hen have to be broody to be “motherish” or get along with chicks? My serama loved my silkie, but we gave him away. So now she is very lonely, and tries befriending the other chickens, and following them. Though they are her age, and much bigger. If i bought her some chicks at TSC, could she possibly befriend them well?

3. Should i just buy her a chicken her age? Seramas are a bit sassy, and she is to. Im just worried they might not get along, but it might be a better option.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Putting a hen not overflowing qith hormones in a group of Littles isn't a good idea. More than likely, she'll be mean and bully them


As for nest abandoning, I have about a 50% rate of them leaving the nest at some point before eggs hatch. Usually before the end of week 2, but sometimes they hit lockdown and then quit

 

[moon.mom]

It is heartbreaking when a hen abandons her nest just before hatch. It happens. Get an incubator as backup. You can find used styro ones inexpensively, but plan on disinfecting it and possibly replacing the thermostat wafer before use.

 

[Chicken poppy]

Thanks! I’ll get a cheap backup one then.

Darling is very sassy, and i wasn’t sure. I’ll wait til she (or someone) goes broody, then.

 

[Weeg]

How often is it that a broody will abandon her nest/eggs? I don’t have a incubator, so i would be very dependent on the broody not doing that.

I've only had a few broody's in the past, but I find they typically steak it out. All of mine have brooded all the way to the end. Make sure your girls are over a year old before allowing them to brood, and you have a better chance at a successful hatch.

Does a hen have to be broody to be “motherish” or get along with chicks? My serama loved my silkie, but we gave him away. So now she is very lonely, and tries befriending the other chickens, and following them. Though they are her age, and much bigger. If i bought her some chicks at TSC, could she possibly befriend them well?

If you brooded the chicks outdoors, and put your Serama in a see no touch setup with the chicks, ya, she would eventually befriend them. If you just tossed the chicks in, no, she would likely kill them. As long as you do a see no touch setup, she may become very interested in the chicks, and get along with them once they get a bit older. In some cases, the hen will go broody from being around them, and accept the chicks as her own. That isn't very common though.

3. Should i just buy her a chicken her age? Seramas are a bit sassy, and she is to. Im just worried they might not get along, but it might be a better option.

As long as you do see no touch, they will get along eventually. It may take a week or two, but they will get along. Wether or not they will love each other and be best friends is unknown, but they will see each other as a flock and become attached. If you get pullets, or full grown birds, I would recommend getting two. Its much easier to integrate them if their are two of them.

 

[Yardmom]

I have only had 1 hen stop brooding once truly set. (She stopped day 20 and was 1 year) I habe had about a dozen broody hatches.

 

[Chicken poppy]

I've only had a few broody's in the past, but I find they typically steak it out. All of mine have brooded all the way to the end. Make sure your girls are over a year old before allowing them to brood, and you have a better chance at a successful hatch.

If you brooded the chicks outdoors, and put your Serama in a see no touch setup with the chicks, ya, she would eventually befriend them. If you just tossed the chicks in, no, she would likely kill them. As long as you do a see no touch setup, she may become very interested in the chicks, and get along with them once they get a bit older. In some cases, the hen will go broody from being around them, and accept the chicks as her own. That isn't very common though.

As long as you do see no touch, they will get along eventually. It may take a week or two, but they will get along. Wether or not they will love each other and be best friends is unknown, but they will see each other as a flock and become attached. If you get pullets, or full grown birds, I would recommend getting two. Its much easier to integrate them if their are two of them.

Thank you! They are all over a year old.
I’ll have to decide which method to do, then. Probably getting one her age.

 

[Chicken poppy]

Another question: If a broody chicken is say on day 2 on infertile eggs, can i swap the eggs for store bought chicks? I assume its the same as if she was on day 19 ? Theres a 50% of her accepting the chicks.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

No. She's almost certainly bonded to the eggs enough. Use it would be best to not foster chicks until it's been at least a week, preferably 2

 

[Weeg]

Another question: If a broody chicken is say on day 2 on infertile eggs, can i swap the eggs for store bought chicks? I assume its the same as if she was on day 19 ? Theres a 50% of her accepting the chicks.

No, I would wait until she's at least 2 weeks in.
You could swap the infertile eggs for store bought Happy Eggs. Supposedly you can hatch that brand. I think you can get them at most grocery stores.

Or, you replace the eggs she's sitting on with Easter Eggs at night while she's sleep, and order some eggs. They usually arrive in 5-6ish days. Then place those eggs under her at night and remove the Easter Eggs. Thats what I did for my broody last year, but she was sitting on golf balls.