Broody hens and fall hatching?

[AngieB71]

We have a hen who is broody and really, really does not want to be broken. She is young, and went broody about 6 weeks after laying her first egg. We get her off the nest every day (and she'll run around with her friends for about 15-20 minutes if forced), have tried cooling her off, etc., but nadda. I feel like it's probably too late in the season to bring in fertilized eggs and let her have a shot at motherhood. We live in the pacific northwest, and temps are already down into the 50s at night. It rarely gets below 0 at night, and if it does, not until February. If I put fertilized eggs under her now, are we doomed? We don't want chicks back in the house in a brooder, we want mama to be able to raise them naturally. But will it be too cold, too early for them? Our initial plan was that if someone was broody in the spring we would get some eggs for them (no rooster here at this point!) but I worry that we might be letting our best chance go by? Thank you in advance for your advice!

 

[wrathsfarm]

Your broody Mama will keep them warm unless she decides to break from them early before they are feathered enough for the outside temps... then you'll have to separate with a heat source.

 

[fluffycrow]

I can't give you an exact response, since are yearly temperatures are not very similar (currently expected to hit 31°C during the day this week).

That being said, I tend to believe that broodies know enough about their bodies, and more specifically their bodies in relation to each season, that they wouldn't go broody unless they and their chicks could handle it. Of course, experience plays a part in this. I wouldn't be so confident to let a very young and inexperienced broody sit during less than ideal conditions, but that's not to say I wouldn't give it a go. How old is the broody in question?

My birds have successfully brooded a large batch in November. Granted, November temps in Greece are very different from November temps in the PNW, and the hens in question were older, and (one was) more experienced.

Personally, I'd attempt it, and keep a close eye on things. She is likely to do well, and her body heat alone is usually more than enough to warm the chicks. Worst case scenario, she breaks early (since from what I understand she's been broody for some time), and tries again in the spring.

Good luck!

 

[Egg Snatcher]

Agree with @fluffycrow
I have a hen right know with chick that hatched today. Temps at night go down into the 40s and will drop more a.the season gose more into winter. I have also had chicks in November and have had no problems.

 

[AngieB71]

I can't give you an exact response, since are yearly temperatures are not very similar (currently expected to hit 31°C during the day this week).

That being said, I tend to believe that broodies know enough about their bodies, and more specifically their bodies in relation to each season, that they wouldn't go broody unless they and their chicks could handle it. Of course, experience plays a part in this. I wouldn't be so confident to let a very young and inexperienced broody sit during less than ideal conditions, but that's not to say I wouldn't give it a go. How old is the broody in question?

My birds have successfully brooded a large batch in November. Granted, November temps in Greece are very different from November temps in the PNW, and the hens in question were older, and (one was) more experienced.

Personally, I'd attempt it, and keep a close eye on things. She is likely to do well, and her body heat alone is usually more than enough to warm the chicks. Worst case scenario, she breaks early (since from what I understand she's been broody for some time), and tries again in the spring.

Good luck!

She is about 6 and a half months old. Thank you so much for the advice!

 

[fluffycrow]

She is about 6 and a half months old. Thank you so much for the advice!

Oh, very young indeed! If you're up for it, I'd give it a go. Maybe the goal with this hatch won't be maximum yield, rather a chance for this girl to gain some experience, and if possible, hatch a few or more chicks.

For future reference, always go for the experienced broody, especially if the conditions aren't ideal (such as slightly wrong season), and even more so if you are raising them in the group, since senior hens tend to have more authority and power in the group

Good luck once again, and please keep us updated!

 

[AngieB71]

Oh, very young indeed! If you're up for it, I'd give it a go. Maybe the goal with this hatch won't be maximum yield, rather a chance for this girl to gain some experience, and if possible, hatch a few or more chicks.

For future reference, always go for the experienced broody, especially if the conditions aren't ideal (such as slightly wrong season), and even more so if you are raising them in the group, since senior hens tend to have more authority and power in the group

Good luck once again, and please keep us updated!

Thank you for the advice! All of our girls are the same age... These 6 are it first. No one else has gone broody, though some will occasionally try to imitate her.

We're going to approach this as a trial run for her and for us. If it looks like she will be successful, well probably make a nursery in the coop, below the poop trays (they are about 2 ft of the floor). If we put in a nest area for her and the chicks, should it be walled off like nest boxes, or is a comfy spot in the corner enough? We'll of course put in access for food and water. Will they wait for her to take them out, or will we need to close off access until the time is right?

 

[fluffycrow]

Thank you for the advice! All of our girls are the same age... These 6 are it first. No one else has gone broody, though some will occasionally try to imitate her.

We're going to approach this as a trial run for her and for us. If it looks like she will be successful, well probably make a nursery in the coop, below the poop trays (they are about 2 ft of the floor). If we put in a nest area for her and the chicks, should it be walled off like nest boxes, or is a comfy spot in the corner enough? We'll of course put in access for food and water. Will they wait for her to take them out, or will we need to close off access until the time is right?

I understand. She would be a very good choice in the future, as she will be both experienced, and one of the senior hens of your growing group.

A simple comfy corner should be fine, although I'm not sure they'll use it. So far every broody I've had has returned to a nest (preferably the one she hatched her chicks in, but not always the case), but I think she'll be just fine.

Now, for the last part, I apologise, but I'm not sure what you're saying. If when you should introduce the chicns to the group, if at all, is what you're asking, then this is what I would suggest.

Most hens will want to introduce their chicks to the group at some point. Each female does it at her own pace. Keep the chicks and the mother separate inside the coop in a "see no touch situation", and see how the pullet reacts. Maybe a few days, maybe more, maybe less. Ideally, the mother says when she's ready to introduce her brood

 

[schrody]

I feel like it's probably too late in the season to bring in fertilized eggs and let her have a shot at motherhood.

I had a broody hen hatch eggs on the 5th of October last year. It typically takes 3 weeks to hatch so you'd be looking at getting chicks around the first of September. The mother will keep the chicks warm the best she can until they get their feathers in and even if she stops playing mom after 7+ weeks, the chicks should be old enough to figure things out. I have a 10 week old chick who cuddles under the rooster.

Late fall chicks aren't too bad. Its a time when egg production slows anyway and by the time spring hits they'll be laying eggs.