Why can a broody......

[Pullet Press]

I always look at the chicks and ducklings every time I go into TSC. Sadly, this last time, the chicks and ducks were panting heavily. There wasn’t enough room to escape the heat. It breaks my heart.

Oh, those poor precious babies, bless their hearts. It's always sad going to TSC and seeing a dead or sick chick.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I had a Buff Orpington from Hoovers that went broody once, or twice a year. I let her hatch me some chicks one year.

 

[MysteryChicken]

You're not intruding! Thanks for putting in your two cents. I've thought about Silkies, too, but I don't know how they do in 100+F degree heat.

I own silkies, & in Michigan it gets super hot sometimes. Silkies will tolerate both heat, & cold really well.

 

[NatJ]

I dare say a lot of people (mainly first timers, including me) use/used a brooder much smaller than yours. There’s not enough room for the chicks to escape the heat.

Oh, I agree. That's how I ended up using such a large space for a brooder.
I've changed the size depending on whether it's in the garage or outdoors, and what pieces of hardware cloth, dog-pen panels, cardboard, etc are available at the time.

 

[MarkJr]

Change how you approach brooding. I think new keepers are more inclined to coddle chicks when it really isn't necessary.

My first batch was brooded inside, under a heat lamp, frequent cleanouts, etc. - a typical starter's set up. My second batch went directly outside, with a mama heating pad turned off at 4 weeks, and zero cleanouts of the brooder (though I did take them into garage when it rained) - to clean the brooder I simply moved it. Third batch was similar to the second but I turned off the heat sooner and left them out even in rainstorms... I just built up the brooder floor litter higher to keep it from sitting in any puddled water, and it stayed dry enough just like that.

I've had very little issue with pasty butt with the latter batches (usually if they have it, it's from shipping/being at the store, and it clears up immediately). I also don't use medicated feed but only the first batch of chicks developed coccidiosis, which I attribute from being raised inside in a more sterile setting.

My first and only brooder batch was ‘by the book’

I utilized my broody the first time and the chicks were hardy and flat amazing. Harder to attempt to get friendly as the brooder, but they were flighty until they were closer to POL also.

The brooder batch is 26 or so weeks now. Wife’s uncle wanted a new batch of chickens to replace his geriatric flock. So..... I gathered fertile eggs. Bought 12 RIR fertile eggs....... and my broody went full zombie the day the shipped eggs were delivered. Perfect timing huh??? Chicken math says $.25 chicks finds 8 bar rocks and 4 australorps under momma...... and me setting here wondering why the world I didn’t just wait till the ‘bator chicks were ready.

I’m going to use a heat plate and put them on dirt. One way or the other these chicks are going to be as spunky as broody raised.

PS three day old chicks scratching for all they’re worth is the cutest thing ever.

 

[Mimi13]

Oh, those poor precious babies, bless their hearts. It's always sad going to TSC and seeing a dead or sick chick.

I know it. I have a real problem with these stores not taking better care of all the babies. It should be a requirement for them to care for them better and be more knowledgeable about the breeds, etc. Some employees are pretty much useless, even to the point of being harmful.

Don’t mind me, I’m just speaking my mind!

 

[kubotafoot]

Buff Orpingtons can go broody, but I have not had real good luck with that. Have had a few here and have 2 (Wurther and Original) and Wurther has no desire to be broody, but Original is.....trouble is, she's sat on a nest of 8 eggs for over a week and then for some reason just up and left. Never mourned the nest when it was removed, but 3 days later started another nest and has 3 eggs under her right now and we are starting week 3. She is kind and loving to anyone's chicks and makes a great auntie, but as a mom, I am not sure. Time will tell, but she is all puffed out and gives the "GET AWAY" screech when I go near her nest, and I am just walking by. Learned my lesson. Ignore her and she's staying on it. Talk and encourage her....off she goes! Good luck.

 

[Roses1421]

True. I'm just saying that because I'm still waiting for my 18-week old Brahmas to start laying so they can go broody. I'm finally learning to breed chickens, and I'm kind of impatient. I got one really small egg today, and I'm wondering if it was a smaller on from my Barred Rocks, mainly because it had that coloring.

Brahmas will take forever to lay! We have one who is now 22 weeks and her comb isn't even red yet!

 

[Cturber]

It see most any breed of hen can decide she would like to be broody, but there is no guarantee that certain breeds will be broody. Then, its also a roll of the dice if a broody will be a good mom. It seems it would be easiest to make an ISO post or watch for someone that has a proven broody to rehome On a local FB group.

I often wonder if broody raised chicks are more predisposed to being broody?

 

[MarkJr]

I often wonder if broody raised chicks are more predisposed to being broody?

I’m wondering if the offspring of a broody is more likely to go broody. I don’t know the age of my broody, but she’s been in my coop for two years and I suspect she wasn’t young when I adopted the whole flock. She has 1-1/2 or so spurs. Old lady feet and legs as well as not having shiny feathers after molt.