Should I let my broody 23 wk old pullet sit on a clutch????

[Nksg75]

Yikes! That sounds awful, I’m sorry that happened!

I don’t think your experience is common though. My mom’s Pullet was a fantastic mama hen and her chicks did fine. I had 3 first time adult broodies this summer and they all did pretty well. One chick was injured from hens fighting over it but it recovered (I learned to separate the new mamas from each other!). OP won’t have that problem since there’s only one broody.

Your right, this is not normal!
Since I decided to give all the broodies at least a fair shot at it, it was all on my shoulders!
Anyway, I think the op should give it a go, as long as they are willing to accept whatever outcome.
I am sure most hens will be fine. Most of mine were just unfamiliar with where to set their weight, and where not to.
Unfortunately this didn’t bode well for the chicks that did hatch.

 

[Minky]

She is on day 3 and she has only gotten off for one poop.
Im in Canada, and when they hatch we will have snow, I bet..but right now it is lovely fall. I will keep them in above freezing temps until they are fully feathered. Then maybe the basement if it gets nasty. If its a royal pain in the a$$ then I will have learned my lesson...

I love hearing all the stories- good and bad. And the photos are priceless. I agree- so enjoyable to watch. broody hen mother her young.

 

[LateBirdFarms]

I think we might be nuts! Canadian winter babies! My broody's clutch should be hatching next weekend just in time for the nice weather to disappear! Its nerve wracking going into winter with my first broody hatch with a first time 10month old mama! Hope you're girl sits tight for you!

 

[BDutch]

I had this happen to me when my Blue Ameraucana went broody on my at 24 weeks (it was November in northern Ohio - cold temps). After 2 failed attempts to break her, I gave up and decided to give her 6 eggs to sit on, hoping for maybe a couple of chicks out of the small clutch. All 6 eggs happened to be fertilized (I had an Orpington cockeral at the time) and she diligently hatched all six eggs! The Ameraucana was a fantastic mama and she raised all 6, watching over them all fiercely until they were about 10-12 weeks old.

Are they mixes, because we never get mixes like that!?

Sure. Americauna x Orpington is a mix of 2 breeds.

 

[aart]

She is on day 3 and she has only gotten off for one poop.
Im in Canada, and when they hatch we will have snow, I bet..but right now it is lovely fall. I will keep them in above freezing temps until they are fully feathered. Then maybe the basement if it gets nasty. If its a royal pain in the a$$ then I will have learned my lesson...

I love hearing all the stories- good and bad. And the photos are priceless. I agree- so enjoyable to watch. broody hen mother her young.

Almost time to candle!
Good that she's gotten off to poop.
A good mama will keep them warm in freezing temps.
Maybe you'll get lucky and hatch day will be a thaw, like I had:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/broody-in-michigan-winter.947046/

 

[Minky]

I think we might be nuts! Canadian winter babies! My broody's clutch should be hatching next weekend just in time for the nice weather to disappear! Its nerve wracking going into winter with my first broody hatch with a first time 10month old mama! Hope you're girl sits tight for you!

Are you bringing yours into the garage/basement etc? Where are they chick going for the first 5 weeks? Is your coop insulated?
I dont think Nov/Dec will be too bad... but Jan/Feb is always c-c-c-cold!!! She has only come off the nest once, on day 3.

 

[LateBirdFarms]

I've got Bug and her clutch set up in a partitioned area of my coop where I normally do my brooding and integration. A lot of caulking and board and batten style walls over the last few years has been pretty darn good at taking care of winter drafts so I'm pretty confident I'm not going to have to bring anyone inside. The coops a good deal warmer than the mudroom I start my day olds in, so I'm praying Bug will do just as good as my heat lamp n heating pad, but in a pinch I'll bring the babies in. My biggest concern at this point is how long my girl is going to be stuck inside, but I don't know if that's going to be a real issue or not, or if I'm just overthinking this! And a chick safe waterer that won't freeze... I've got big ones, but nothing shallow, so I've got to figure that out in the next few days too!

The week after I candled the first time was the worst! After I saw how awesome the eggs were doing, the more I worried about how cold they would get every time she got off the nest to do her business, which she only did once every afternoon, but it was enough to give me palpitations! I don't know if I just steeled up or if the fact it warmed back up to 20c settled my nerves, but I've got more faith in Bug's instincts now than when we started so its getting easier!

 

[chickencoop57]

Never heard of that before. However, unlike your pullet, I've had my hens for over a year and not one of them has ever got broody. Now that seems kinda of odd to me.

 

[tripletfeb]

Never heard of that before. However, unlike your pullet, I've had my hens for over a year and not one of them has ever got broody. Now that seems kinda of odd to me.

Not odd at all. I've had chickens for many years and have never had one go broody. Some breeds go broody more than others. I've had EEs, SLW, black sex links, light brahmas, and pearl star leghorns. Never a broody one in that mix

 

[Minky]

Its HATCH DAY !!!!!!!!!
Checked this morning (day 20) when she got off to drink, and there were 4 of 8 eggs that had pipped! So eggcited !!!!

Saw one little dark chick around 6 pm. going out to check if there are more!