The art of using broody hens- share your wisdom/experience

[sandiklaws]

The orp went back to work setting- I think if they seem to be setting tight I will give them their eggs tomorrow night... just want to be sure before setting them up w/ the real deal. I used to raise cockatiels and if she is setting tight you have nothing to worry about except her eating enough- I had a hen starve herself simply because I assumed the male had been feeding her when he wasn't.

 

[Newbean]

I have 2 cochins and a silkie that I use regularly for hatching. I've found that they can successfully cover about 5-6 eggs. Any more and that was when my hatch rate went down. I just don't think they can cover more than that. Of course, I am talking about regular large eggs from my full sized birds.

But, as a side note. They can raise more than 5-6 chicks. I currently have a silkie raising 10 and a cochin raising 11. Yes, a hatchery was involved. The first time the eggs just didn't hatch for me (I'm starting to worry that I need a new rooster) and I had promised my daughters preschool class some chicks as their class pets. So I ran to the feed store.

The second time I had a new mother on the nest and it kind of looked like she might reject the chicks before she would raise them. She just sat on that darn nest and didn't move or seem to know what came next. She would also jump off the nest whenever I would check on her leaving the chicks. Well, I needed new stock in my flock so I figured as long as I was going to have to raise her 2 hatchlings I might as well raise my new stock. As soon as I got home with them I put them under the hen. She was just sitting there, so I figured that she could warm up a couple of extra bodies

. I needed some time to get the brooder ready and she wasn't aggressive. Just clueless. Anyway, about 3 hours later (yes, I was secretly hoping she would figure it out) she figured it out! She was covering all the chicks and all of a sudden instead of jumping off the nest every time I came to check on her, she was pecking me! She became a mom! And the next morning she was teaching the chicks how to eat and drink. It was great!

I love using broodies!

The broodies will raise the chicks for about 6 weeks. After that they will treat them like just another chicken. They will probably not start laying for another 3-4 weeks. Then they will lay for about a month and then they will go broody again. So you should be able to get 2 hatches out of your broodies per summer. Maybe 3 if you're lucky.

Whytedragon - I would let the hens hatch their chicks, but then remove them all from the coop. The hens can raise the chicks in a different coop if you have it. But leaving them in there means that one of the other birds could kill them. My baby coop always has 3 bantys in it. This past week I had a silkie with her 10 birds and a cochin broody on a nest. The other cochin would peck the babies on the head if they got in her way. But they were fast and stayed out of her way for the most part. I couldn't imagine them being able to stay out of the way of 10 adult birds.

 

[BlackBart]

Quote:
Yes, Mallard eggs, everything went fine until the ducklings went in the water. Also when they got older and tried to roost in the hen house.

Right now I have a BO hen on 12 BCM eggs and a smaller cross hen on 12 BCM eggs. I always supply them food and water.

I like the chicks raised by the hens better. The hens teach them how to forage and the routine of the place.
I keep them in Hen and chick pens until they are about 6 weeks old. Before I let them out into general population, the young Roos "disappear".

 

[MareeZoCool]

Mark the eggs, it takes 21 days for a chick to hatch out. Momma hen will become more defensive of her nest when the pipping or hatching time gets close. She will fluff up & some hens even growl ! They need tim outs from setting, twice daily, I'd let my hen choose to get out, relieve herself, and drink or eat. She was quick! I'd say 15 minutes was her longest break off her nest. "We" hatched 3 out of 4 eggs! (she did all the real work, I just supplied water, food, and security.

 

[whytedragon]

Thank you for the advice...I am going to build another separate pen just for the broodys. That way chicks are safe. I'd better do it fast though..those eggs should be hatching any moment!

Also, the Cockatiel hen decided to abandon the quail eggs...who knew they could tell, lol. That's ok, never a shortage of Button eggs...I just don't really like to incubate them, the chicks always die on me. If anyone has any advice on raising Button chicks, i'm all ears!

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Are you saying you hens live in the cages, or that the cages are their nest boxes?
They need to be on the ground to scritch and scratch!

A standard Cochin can sit on 8-12 eggs, depending on how big she really is.
I have one on 12 right now, but others that can only handle 8.
We have had 100% hatch so far.

Broodies should have their own pens, and if you happen to have two or more set at the same time, they can have a communal pen.
I learned that if one hatches long before the other, eggs will be abandoned due to all that cheeping waking them up.

 

[whytedragon]

Are you saying you hens live in the cages, or that the cages are their nest boxes?
They need to be on the ground to scritch and scratch!

I have my birds in an aviary, and about 20 Button Quail in as well. I have Cockatiel nestboxes hung up. My tiel hen laid 2 eggs, and neither were fertile...no dissapointment there, they're an older pair who have only ever given me one chick. So I put in 4 Button eggs..which she abandoned.​

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Quote:
I have my birds in an aviary, and about 20 Button Quail in as well. I have Cockatiel nestboxes hung up. My tiel hen laid 2 eggs, and neither were fertile...no dissapointment there, they're an older pair who have only ever given me one chick. So I put in 4 Button eggs..which she abandoned.

Sorry, I was asking the OP

 

[whytedragon]

Oh, sorry, lol. Getting a little confused.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Quote:
I would do this with caution. Some hens are more accepting of other hens' chicks, but some hens will peck at to hurt or kill other hens' chicks. And some hens are more easily confused than others, and may return to the wrong nest box after their coffee break, maybe trying to set in the other hen's nest while she's still in it and letting her own eggs grow cold. I think it's ideal to provide each broody with her own pen.