The advantages of an experienced broody hen

[Mrs. K]

Wednesday night, I slipped three hatchery chicks under Mrs. Feather in the dark. The next morning, I went and pulled her out of the nest, and put the chicks on the ground near her. The layers were outside, eating. I went to work.

Thursday night when I went down, she was out in the run, under a shelter chicks peaking out and disappearing. I went down near dark, she was in the same place and just out of my reach. My run is secure, she was protected from the rain, so I left her.

Yesterday, I went down, fed the birds, in three or four places and a funny thing happened. The chicks were eating at her feet, right amongst the layers. She moves off to check another spot and the chicks stayed, right under the feet of two of the layers... and NOTHING happened. They have totally accepted the chicks.

It is a grand way to introduce chicks to a flock.

Mrs K

 

[Callender Girl]

Congratulations to you and Mrs. Feather for a job well done!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't really worry whether a broody is experienced or not. I trust them to do their job and they generally do but I have had an experienced broody mess up. Each time it is different.

Something I often see, usually when the chicks are around two weeks old. A chick leaves the broody's protection and goes off to eat with the older hens at the feeder. Sometimes the other hens ignore the chick and let it eat. But often one of the hens will peck the chick to remind it that it is bad chick etiquette to eat with its betters. The chick squawks and runs back to Mama as fast as its little legs can carry it with its little wings flapping for all they are worth. Mama ignores all this. It takes a flock to raise a chick. But occasionally the hen will follow the chick to really teach the lesson. That sets Mama off and she promptly whips butt. Nobody threatens her chicks.

I have three to four broody hens a year and might see this about every other year. I'm probably not there to see it most of the time when it happens but I still consider this fairly regular.

You keep reading about all of the disasters that can possibly happen, and they can. But a lot of the time it is this peaceful and this easy.

 

[Mrs. K]

I have seen just what you describe too.

I have also seen at about 5 weeks, the chick and layer eating, the peck, the chick runs away and gets out of sight...then not 30 seconds later, comes back and all is fine. I call it bowing to the queen. By leaving, the chick acknowledges her higher position by disappearing.

I think a lot of people interfere too much, trying to be kind. But I also have a large enough coop/run, a lot of clutter, and a bit harder heart. I like all the chicks to live, but I do not necessarily expect all the chicks to live.

Mrs K