Simulated Natural Nest Incubation~Experiment #1 So it begins....

[Beekissed]

Perhaps you already know this or someone has mentioned it, but the sound in the utube of a broody hen may be caused by being upset by the person petting her...it may not be the sound you want communicated to her babies!

I love your project and postings!
Arlie

Yeah...I noticed that. But it was the only broody sound they had available!

I'm pretty well versed in broody hen speak by now...it's the only way I've been "incubating" all these years.

 

[marandazmail]

This is amazing!! I'm definitely invested in these lil soon to be chicks! Praying that all goes well and that you are able to use this setup for your next hatch.

I'm relaying this story to my hubby and he rolls his eyes at me cuz he knows I'll try this if it works...hahaha. He hasn't been bitten by the "fuzzy butts" bug and doesn't appreciate my chicken keeping, except when breakfast time comes. :-/

 

[countrygirl5]

I'm sooooo following this!! Good luck!

 

[Tomtommom]

i think it varies - but don't ask me how they decide....2 of my hens i was afraid they would starve because they just never left the nest, ok, almost never ...i took them off the nest to poop and eat on some days ...then others ....i was like...your eggs are getting cold mama ...what's up ...twice a day they went out foraging, dust bathing ...till day 18 ....

I had a hen that didn't budge for weeks on end... she wasn't able to complete the hatch because she got too skinny. Got up on day 19 and never looked back. She gained a bunch of weight in the few weeks after that and then went through an explosive molt

Ofcourse she was 1. a white rock 2. a first time broody 3. a hatchery bird. That's a lot of stuff working against her really knowing what to do.

Managed to hatch two with this contraption. Sadly, lost the rest... somewhat due to my own fault, I suspect... two pipped and didn't make it out.

Perhaps you already know this or someone has mentioned it, but the sound in the utube of a broody hen may be caused by being upset by the person petting her...it may not be the sound you want communicated to her babies!

I love your project and postings!
Arlie

You know... they have bears for babies that make womb like sounds (heart beat and some white noise sloshy sounds). Ofcourse the heart beat is much too slow... but it's one direction to think in. I happen to have one in my storage building, but we're expecting a human baby soon.... so I wont be able to donate it to the chicks, to see if they like it

 

[x4livin]

I have yet in two years to have a hen go broody on me. I could learn a lot from you. This year, everyone just quit laying and started growing baby feathers, though, and so far I only have one girl laying. I suspect someone might try it this year. I'm wondering, If one goes broody NOT in the hen house(under a bush somewhere etc) should I just drop a dog crate over her to keep her safe? Can I move eggs (like moving her and the nest to a brood box up by the house) and still have her keep them? If one goes broody in the hen house, I plan to add her a couple of eggs and a curtain to make her space off limits(am planning to add split curtains for some privacy anyway).

 

[JoyfulPromise]

Yes, you CAN move a broody hen (and her eggs) to a more desirable and safe location - I do it all the time! Our hens usually go broody in the coop in a nest box, but I like to move them to an enclosed area so the other hens won't push her off and try to lay new eggs in that nest each day, or accidentally break the eggs, which HAS happened. The best time to move the hen is at night, just have your new box or area ready. Carefully move all the eggs over to the new nest, and then move the (hopefully) sleepy broody hen to the new nest and make sure she settles down on the eggs ok. In the morning she should wake up and just stick to that new nest because all her eggs are there.

 

[jtbsa]

I also got here through the BYC email. This was the only link that I thought looked interesting and I'm glad I checked it out.

Planning on keeping a close eye on what happens with this adventure. Hope all goes well with Test Nest #2.

 

[AmericanMom]

Yes, you CAN move a broody hen (and her eggs) to a more desirable and safe location - I do it all the time! Our hens usually go broody in the coop in a nest box, but I like to move them to an enclosed area so the other hens won't push her off and try to lay new eggs in that nest each day, or accidentally break the eggs, which HAS happened. The best time to move the hen is at night, just have your new box or area ready. Carefully move all the eggs over to the new nest, and then move the (hopefully) sleepy broody hen to the new nest and make sure she settles down on the eggs ok. In the morning she should wake up and just stick to that new nest because all her eggs are there.

x2... we did this and it worked great... She was such a determined broody tho, I know some folks don't but every other day I would pick her up and set her about 5 feet from the nest, she would just stand there is a daze for a minute and then as she was walking back to the nest would get her popping done.. She fouled the nest so many times that I felt I had no other choice. Those chicks all hatched on the 18/ 19th day I think because she was so determined.

 

[ronott1]

I also got here through the BYC email. This was the only link that I thought looked interesting and I'm glad I checked it out.

Planning on keeping a close eye on what happens with this adventure. Hope all goes well with Test Nest #2.

It is great to have you posting here!

 

[jtbsa]

Thanks.