Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Rachel'sFlock]

I don't use artificial light either and since my one bantam went broody back in Oct. no one else has acted broody, just get into the nest box lay their egg Done. Thank goodness they need a break and so do I.

Thanks, Miss Lydia!

 

[cazzzyboy]

good ariticle!! every flock owner should have a broody!!! much less hassle than a small incubator.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Just wondering~ how many who have broody hens at this time of year are using artificial lighting in their coops?

I opted to not light the coop this year. And I keep the coop fairly dark right now because I keep the southern, northern, and western windows closed during the winter. I just leave the east facing windows and door open during the day to air the joint out.

Last year I did light it but didn't have my first broody experience until this past spring, well after I had turned off the extra light.

 

[bobbieschicks]

My girls will occasionally lay an egg in the ducks sleeping area and then I usually find the egg when i go in to stir up the bedding, so i try to keep the doors to the ducks bedrooms closed, I am wondering if the warmer weather we have had so far this fall hasn't gotten them a bit confused> but then again i think you have obsessed hen who just likes to brood. lol

Ain't that the truth! Hahaha!

Thankfully Smokey isn't broody. She is however acting like she wants to go that direction. I'm hoping she will see its not a good idea as we have enough nonlayers right now.

Out of 17 chickens I have only 7 who are currently pulling their weight, with 2 confirmed Roos, 4 chicks too young to either crow or lay, 1 iffy whether its a pullet and too young to tell, and 1 pullet who is not at POL for maybe 12 more weeks.

My 9 layers, 2 are out of commission and the rest don't lay every day...
Snow White, molted no eggs now
AC, laying
Smokey, laying
Topsy, broody still not laying again
Buffy, laying
Ariel, laying
Henny Penny, laying
Sunny, laying
Fluffy, just started laying 3 days ago

And I might add I get between 3 and 5 eggs a day.

 

[farmer boy]

Ain't that the truth! Hahaha!
Thankfully Smokey isn't broody. She is however acting like she wants to go that direction. I'm hoping she will see its not a good idea as we have enough nonlayers right now.
Out of 17 chickens I have only 7 who are currently pulling their weight, with 2 confirmed Roos, 4 chicks too young to either crow or lay, 1 iffy whether its a pullet and too young to tell, and 1 pullet who is not at POL for maybe 12 more weeks.
My 9 layers, 2 are out of commission and the rest don't lay every day...
Snow White, molted no eggs now
AC, laying
Smokey, laying
Topsy, broody still not laying again
Buffy, laying
Ariel, laying
Henny Penny, laying
Sunny, laying
Fluffy, just started laying 3 days ago
And I might add I get between 3 and 5 eggs a day.

your lucky i only get 1-3 eggs a day i only have 30 birds 4 are ducks .. i have 9 roos a lot with their pairs so their fine and i have about only within 6 hens laying out of 16, 5 should start laying soon the others are still sorta young and i have 1 idk the sex yet

 

[darkmatter]

One of my surplus roosters from the broodies hatching this year. Thinks he can avoid his fate. (dinner)

 

[Miss Lydia]

One of my surplus roosters from the broodies hatching this year. Thinks he can avoid his fate. (dinner)

He's a pretty boy, We had some nice looking roos this year it was so hard to decided who was going into the freezer and which 1 would stay.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have 15 hens and 2 roos and am getting anywhere from 3-5 eggs a day right now.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I know I shouldn't be complaining - the 3-5 eggs a day keeps my one repeat customer happy and occassionally blesses another family with eggs - and of course keeps us in enough eggs to make whatever recipe I have at hand. I probably will be whining about too many eggs come spring

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

I have four laying hens and no one is laying. I am hoping Pidge starts soon as I am hoping she goes broody soon after. She's a bantam Cochin from a very nice breeder, not a hatchery. And I plan on tempting her with a couple of wood eggs too.