Broody hen?

[Farmgirl283420]

Hi so my friends chicken growled at her when she went to get eggs I told her she was probably broody what should she do for this hen I think she's fine with her hatching chicks but they don't have a roo should she buy some eggs or could she wait 21 one days then slip some chicks under her at night? Should she's separate her? I've never had a broody hen but I would like one so this should come in handy for me too!!!

Thanks in advance

 

[DobieLover]

Give this a read.

All of it.

You need to have space for the hen to work with and space for the pullets if she is keeping them and a way to isolate the cockerels until they can be either butchered or re-homed.

If she decides she has the setup for chicks, my preference would be to acquire hatching eggs from anyone nearby that has a rooster and knows if he is getting the job done. Trying to get a few day old chicks in time with the hen's "due date" is difficult.

 

[bobbi-j]

I don’t consider a hen as broody until she spends at least three days and nights on the nest. I have had hens growl at me when I have reached under them to get eggs while they were in the nest to lay an egg. If she is indeed broody, I agree with DobieLover that getting hatching eggs from someone nearby is a good idea.

If your friend decides to hatch, I hope she has a plan in place (before they hatch) for extra cockerels, and plenty of room for the chicks she decides to keep. Hatching is great fun, but one needs to think about what to do with all the extra chickens. We let broodies hatch here, and have no qualms about eating the extras. I actually hope for cockerels for that very reason.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Give this a read.

All of it.

You need to have space for the hen to work with and space for the pullets if she is keeping them and a way to isolate the cockerels until they can be either butchered or re-homed.

If she decides she has the setup for chicks, my preference would be to acquire hatching eggs from anyone nearby that has a rooster and knows if he is getting the job done. Trying to get a few day old chicks in time with the hen's "due date" is difficult.

Thanks so much!

 

[Farmgirl283420]

I don’t consider a hen as broody until she spends at least three days and nights on the nest. I have had hens growl at me when I have reached under them to get eggs while they were in the nest to lay an egg. If she is indeed broody, I agree with DobieLover that getting hatching eggs from someone nearby is a good idea.

If your friend decides to hatch, I hope she has a plan in place (before they hatch) for extra cockerels, and plenty of room for the chicks she decides to keep. Hatching is great fun, but one needs to think about what to do with all the extra chickens. We let broodies hatch here, and have no qualms about eating the extras. I actually hope for cockerels for that very reason.

I'm not sure if he hen is still broody but I would love for my silkies to go broody when they are adults so this is so helpful!!!

 

[babychickens321]

Hi so my friends chicken growled at her when she went to get eggs I told her she was probably broody what should she do for this hen I think she's fine with her hatching chicks but they don't have a roo should she buy some eggs or could she wait 21 one days then slip some chicks under her at night? Should she's separate her? I've never had a broody hen but I would like one so this should come in handy for me too!!!

Thanks in advance

growling is normal behaviour when you get their eggs. if she is broody, she will stay in the nesting box even at night to sleep. for the eggs, if they are not fertilised and you want to put chicks under her at 21 days, then dont put the unfertilised eggs under her bc in 21 days they will have lots of bacteria growth on them and explode. She will still be broody even if she doesnt have eggs. I think she should be better actually hatching eggs because chicks start communicating with the mum through the egg, and if she doesnt feel any communication through the egg she may abandon the nest (this depends on her nature, some stay sitting well beyond 21 days and some can leave the eggs before)