Using Broody Hens to Hatch Eggs?

[dancingbear]

Quote:
Yep. That's exactly right. They don't even have to be the same species. But place the eggs you want her to hatch under her all at the same time, so they hatch close together. It's also a good idea to mark the eggs with the date you set them, so you can easily tell any new eggs that other hens may deposit in her nest, and remove them. If you have a separate space you can put her in, away from the other hens, that's best, but if you don't that's ok, just check under her every day, and take out the new eggs. She'll do the rest.

 

[Hattie the Hen]

I like to separate my broody hen from the others as I have always found that if you don't a lot of the others suddenly want to join in the experience & you end up without any eggs

They also pile up on each other & steal each others eggs -- for me it's a definite NO-NO.

I put my Broodies into an old rabbit hutch where they are safe, warm & quiet but they can see (if they want to) & hear the others. They go off into their own LA-LA LAND, it's a kind of trance. I find it fascinating to watch.

I hope you enjoy it when it happens -- GOOD LUCK in advance

Hattie

 

[Dellwyn]

Hi all. Very interesting reading on your experiences with broody hens. There are so mny variables when it comes to animals.
Thought I'd share my recent situation as it is quite unusual from all I've ever know previously.
My broody hen was fine with me moving her slightly and taking any new eggs from under her (the ones I'd put under were all marked).
I left her in her box in the hutch with the rest of the hens, the roosters and ducks as they all get along and she was happier this way.
When it came time to hatch I took each of the babies after they were dried off without any fight with her at all and now at 2 weeks old I take them outside for a supervised scratch around with the other hens and the two roosters without incident.
My reason for taking them was to keep them safe and so they were used to being handled regularly, as are most of my others.
COMPLETELY contradictary to what I've read, been told and previous experience with other hens.
Any thoughts on this are most welcome.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You asked for my thoughts.

My broody hen was fine with me moving her slightly and taking any new eggs from under her (the ones I'd put under were all marked).

Unusual but she was obviously used to being handled. It also depends on their temperment.

I left her in her box in the hutch with the rest of the hens, the roosters and ducks as they all get along and she was happier this way.

It is the traditional way. It works better if you have plenty of room. Remember that many of us on this forum have only a few chickens in a fairly tight space. It does make a difference.

When it came time to hatch I took each of the babies after they were dried off without any fight with her at all and now at 2 weeks old I take them outside for a supervised scratch around with the other hens and the two roosters without incident.

A little unusual that there haven't been some incidents. It depends on the temperment of the older chickens and how much space they have.

My reason for taking them was to keep them safe and so they were used to being handled regularly, as are most of my others.
COMPLETELY contradictary to what I've read, been told and previous experience with other hens.

As you note you have had different experiences yourself previously. I think you are lucky this time. Also, the incidents tend to get reported here, not the non-incidents. With several thousand members, there will be incidents. I appreciate the reports too as it gives me things to watch for and plan for.

I take most things on this forum as guidelines, not gospel. We are dealing with living creatures and anything can happen. I consider it very good to know what others have experienced.

 

[fowltemptress]

I've hatched chicks using both broodies and incubators, and I've found that any chick I leave with momma hen grows to be a skittish little cuss that takes far too much effort to tame. I don't know what it is the mother hens tell them about me, but it can't be good. Even the ones I manage to handle daily don't ever grow as tame as the chicks I keep in brooders. I only leave chicks with the mother if I don't intend to keep the chicks for anything other than meat. The added effort of keeping a brooder warm and clean seems worth it to me for tame chickens.

For those who do keep chicks with mothers and wind up with tame chickens, please tell me your secret. Or do I just expect a higher level of tameness out of my chickens than most people do?

 

[lovemychicns]

Wow this thread is great. I am new to the chicken world. I am getting up to 6 eggs a day now. I was wondering how do you know when they become broody? Also if you let mama hatch and raise how do you handle the chicks to make them friendly from day one as you do when you hatch in a bator?


Karen

 

[dancingbear]

I don't really care if my hens don't want to be cuddled. I don't raise them as pets, so that makes a difference. I raise chickens for eggs and the excess roos go to the freezer, when I get too many hens, I sell a few layers.

We have a small farm, and right now we have 31 grown chickens, 7 chicks, and more hatching, some in the 'bator, some under hens. I don't have to fuss with the ones the hens raise. They do the work for me. Then those hens grow up strong and healthy, and they lay eggs just as well whether they like me much or not.

So it depends on your goal. If you want pets, hand raising is probably better, but if you just want healthy chickens, mom hens are really good at that. That's part of their job.

Edited for typos

 

[aberfitch]

I have a hen that is the best mother in the world. and I have one that is too aggressive. It just really depends. If a hen is sweet generally she will be a sweet mother. If she is an alpha female she will normally be a aggressive mother. There are many different kinds they can become . just watch closely and go with your gut instinct. I too handle them a lot so they will be more tame. Letting the babies being raised by the mother is fine but when they get older and you want to hold them and handle them they will be wild.

 

[dancingbear]

Of 29 hens and 2 roos, we only have one that's actually a pet, who likes to be picked up. I have several that stand on my feet, many that will eat of of my hand, only 2 that get wild and freaked out when I try to pick them up. I think it's what I call "the hysterical gene". Some have it, some don't. They will be sold next time somebody wants to buy a couple of laying hens. (I always tell the buyer why I'm selling those particular hens) They lay well, but are a PITA. Others, from the very same clutch, are fairly mellow, and don't wig out if I pick them up. They aren't overly friendly, but they don't freak.

There are some that always want to come in the house when the kitchen door is open, to steal dog food. We have to push them off the steps to get out the back door, sometimes.

They were almost all raised by the hens. The ones I hatch in the 'bator get raised by a heat lamp, I think the ones with hens do better.

Though my 7 new Delaware chicks, being raised by a heat lamp, are doing just fine. I just don't spend a lot of time trying to tame the chickens. Between all the other things there are to do on a farm, plus cooking and other household stuff, taking care of dogs and cats, etc......

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't know how valid this is but I tend to agree with it. Chicks raised by a hen will be more skittish around you and will be harder to tame. Mama may do a much better job than you of teaching them "chicken smarts". She sees you and everything else as a threat to her babies and will teach them accordingly. She will also do a better job of teaching them to watch out for other predators.

If you free-range chickens, you might want mama to teach them this. If you keep chickens in a secure run (where they probably would not have room to escape in the unlikely event a predator got in there anyway) raising them in a brooder where you can handle them and tame them would probably better meet your goals.

I'm not saying this is a fact since I don't know. I'm putting the thought out for consideration.