Tips for Hatching with a Broody Hen?

[ChickenLegs13]

Other than her stomping on the eggs and breaking them using a real hen is just like using a lectric hen; candle them every so often and discard the bad ones, and when they start pipping don't pick her up to look every 10 minutes because that is just like opening the lid on an incubator during lockdown. When they hatch don't mess with them. Let them sit in the nest for 24 hours just like you do with an incubator, or just leave them alone-they'll jump out of the nest when they're ready to face the world, usually 1 or 2 days after they hatch.
Also she won't starve herself to death. She'll get off the nest at least once a day to eat, drink, roll in the dirt and make a HUGE poop.

 

[heartsizedfarm]

Ha! "A hard core broody will try to hatch air." Yes! True.

 

[centrarchid]

I use broodies continuously for about 8 months of year and have done it for a long time. Leave her alone. Block off access to nest by other birds if they do not steer cleat of her..

 

[katelk]

SO much easier to let her raise what she hatches. She warms them, teaches them, protects them, socializes them, entertains them much better than we could do.

Ok. I am starting out with the "let nature take its course" attitude and just moved the broody and eggs to her new private maternity ward. Wish me luck that she accepts the new location. I decided to just go for it instead of getting my hopes up for a couple weeks. If it happens great, if not I wasn't planning on a broody hen anyway! :-D
I am so excited to maybe have babies though lol

 

[CindaLouWho]

Hahaha I will probably end up the same way lol.

I am definitely going to make her a "maternity ward". I will keep you updated!
Are you going to let her raise what she hatches or use a brooder?

I'm planning on letting her raise them. If it works, it works. If it doesn't, I'll know a lot more than I did for next time.

 

[katelk]

I'm planning on letting her raise them. If it works, it works. If it doesn't, I'll know a lot more than I did for next time.

My plan exactly! Although I am sure once the time comes I am going to be as protective of those babies as the hen haha

 

[CindaLouWho]

I've got one pip! Maybe I'll have a baby in the morning !

 

[miksmity]

Usually when I get my hens to brood I will get a chick or 2 and put it with a previouse year brooder and and leave the chick with her for about 2 days and she should about it and it gives her protective institiks then tak the chick away and place eggs where she has say on the chick and she should sit in them but what I do is I get a "dud" or an infertile egg and give it to her and make sure she is sitting in it for at least 24 hours and then I place my fertilized eggs under her
Make sure their is not any chickens with the brooding hen or she will get destracted and not want to brood so keep her alone
When she has chicks u can put her with the flock when the chicks r about 2-4 weeks
I suggest free ranging ur flock cause it gives the hen more food to find and different terrain or it teaches the chicks how far they should go from the flock or roost

 

[miksmity]

If u r brooding multiple hens together, make sure that the hens r separated in different sides of the coop or prebrooding coop
If they r right next to each other than they will steal each other eggs and fight sometimes and break the eggs make sure that each hen has an even amount if eggs to keep her ocupied or she will steal eggs

 

[sdm111]

Keep it simple for her sake or she'll abandon the nest. Get the eggs u want to hatch. Go to her at night. Take her eggs and swap them for as many eggs as u want to put under her. The eggs she is on now will hatch earlier and she may leave the ones u put in thinking they are bad