The Joy Of A Broody Hen

[SulkyBantam]

Anyone else think '' when they see a hen protecting her eggs/chicks in such a sweet way?


I know a lot of people think about how to break a broody as soon as they see her, and that's understandable of she's gonna hamper egg production and can't hatch anyway...

But do other people pause and look and feel happy at her protecting them in such a motherly way? (rolling the eggs under so carefully aww...)

@JadeFarms @EmmaRainboe @ChickForLife @Justabackyardchicken @ButtonHoarder @Corbdee @Misfits Farm 92

 

[EmmaRainboe]

Anyone else think '' when they see a hen protecting her eggs/chicks in such a sweet way?


I know a lot of people think about how to break a broody as soon as they see her, and that's understandable of she's gonna hamper egg production and can't hatch anyway...

But do other people pause and look and feel happy at her protecting them in such a motherly way? (rolling the eggs under so carefully aww...)

@JadeFarms @EmmaRainboe @ChickForLife @Justabackyardchicken @ButtonHoarder @Corbdee @Misfits Farm 92

Oh yes I love my broody BCs. They are always so sweet, wish I could let them hatch.

 

[SulkyBantam]

Me too!

 

[Ascholten]

I have a friend who has chickens, and raises them a bit too. he has offered, if any of yours ever get broody, Id be willing to trade them out for a normal egg layer until they 'un brood' if you want. He'd use them to hatch his eggs. While it sounds like a good deal, I don't know if Id want to give the girls away like that, not to mention the histrionics Im sure it'd cause in the flock etc etc. although the RI red can be real needful attention wise sometimes and it sounds like a good idea! Anytime you go out, you can count on her starting to cry and whine, she wants to be let out, if you let her out, you can count on her getting literally under your feet for the next 5 minutes as she follows you around, wanting her daily ruffle, tail tug, and hopefully snack. Ohhh the monsters we create!
Aaron

 

[Mya05]

Anyone else think '' when they see a hen protecting her eggs/chicks in such a sweet way?


I know a lot of people think about how to break a broody as soon as they see her, and that's understandable of she's gonna hamper egg production and can't hatch anyway...

But do other people pause and look and feel happy at her protecting them in such a motherly way? (rolling the eggs under so carefully aww...)

@JadeFarms @EmmaRainboe @ChickForLife @Justabackyardchicken @ButtonHoarder @Corbdee @Misfits Farm 92

We have a Silkie that regularly goes broody. She is adorable A few of our other ladies have gone broody, but bone are as cute or dedicated as she is. Her name is Stormy, and she is our only Silkie. She will collect all the eggs from the other hens, and sit on them. Her current record is 9 eggs. She laid flat, and spread her wings in an effort to cover them all! Unfortunately for her, her warning growls are adorable instead of scary. She will follow us after we collect the eggs, yelling at us for stealing her babies. I have allowed her to sit on the eggs for a few days, to see how she would do. Because she just started laying a few months ago, I will wait until she's a bit older. I think I will allow her to hatch an egg this Spring and see if she will be a good mother.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I love when mine start nests. Im NOTORIOUS in my family for actually adding eggs before she starts sitting and increasing the nest size

 

[ButtonHoarder]

Yaaaaaas!
Not so much my chickens, but them too. More my button quail pretending they're broody they always get off the next day but super cute while it lasts!

 

[wf1992]

I got a BO last spring specifically because I wanted a broody, and got tired of waiting! As advertised, she went broody at 6 months, and we gave her eggs. But I was convinced she was too immature and wasn't turning them. Until the day I was telling my husband of my plan to get a couple cornish x day olds to put under her, because they were all that was available, and we'd have to do something to get her off the nest, when my daughter rushed in and announced the first 2 chicks had hatched! Penny was an awesome teen mom, and I will never doubt her again!

 

[Ascholten]

Once the chicks hatch, I am sure momma will protect them from the bullying of the rest of the flock. What about when they turn teenagers etc etc? Does that mother care go away and they are on their own or how does that work?

Aaron

 

[SulkyBantam]

Once the chicks hatch, I am sure momma will protect them from the bullying of the rest of the flock. What about when they turn teenagers etc etc? Does that mother care go away and they are on their own or how does that work?

Aaron

After about 6 weeks of mothering, she'll start to wean them gently off her and return to the flock, she'll still usually keep an eye out for them though.