Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Gringa]

Did they co-brood? Those look like the same chicks.

I WISH they did, my hens are so aggressive when they are broody and when they have chicks. The black hen almost killed another chick that hatched to a different hen two weeks ago because he got too close. They do look like the same chicks don't they. The smaller brown hen has a grey chick in the bunch though.

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

Two more broodies hatched yesterday. July has been a busy month for me. And I still have one more broody to go.

View attachment 2258203
View attachment 2258204

If you could caption the top photo it would have to be....... "Now children gather around ", "yes mam". Lol its adorable

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

So I've read hens go broody as hormones are triggered by warm summer temperature. Is there a typical duration they are broody? I can deal with "summer" as long as she wont do this several times a year.

 

[BullChick]

Nope. They can go broody in the winter too. Good thing they can keep the chicks warm then too!

 

[grettasurfergirl]

If you separated your broody and chicks from the flock into a “maternity ward” type area with a separate run, how and when do I put the broody and chicks (or maybe just broody?) back into the regular coop and run? We only have one EE in the main coop area now but one surrogate mama is a Silkie so she’s not as big but she sure is feisty about protecting her chicks!! Help please! I have two sets of broodies and chicks (3.5 weeks apart) in my garage now and wondering when they can all integrate!

 

[fisherlady]

We allow ours a few days (2 to 3 days) of peace and quiet in a separate area that is visible to everyone and then open the area up and allow the broody to decide how much and when to mingle. But our flock is broody friendly (have had 22 broodies so far this year) and used to the process after years of having broodies with chicks of all ages being raised in the flock year around.
We currently have 10 hens with chicks ranging from 10 days to 8 weeks and 3 who are sitting waiting for eggs to hatch.

 

[coconutprincess]

I have three hens all broody. They were all in the same henhouse (I have three henhouses) so while the other non-broody girls kept depositing eggs I figured when it was hatching time the wee ones would be safe. Yesterday morning I came out to find one of the broodies in the same nesting box with another broody and she had pecked one of the newly hatched chicks to death I promptly moved the murderess but I’m wondering if I should have separated them all from the start? They all went broody within a couple of days of each other

 

[CindyinSD]

Some do separate and others don't. Sometimes having them together works but sometimes it does not. I would consider how to give each broody her separate small coop in the coop. Around the size of a wire kennel for a 75 lb dog would be fine. Put their feed and water inside and clean out the bedding as needed so they don't need to go outside.

That's the easiest thing you can do for now, I think. Later (maybe next summer) you can have a nice broody tractor set up for each with a little yard incorporated. Or maybe you'd prefer more of an apartment complex or du/tri/quadroplex... you have many options--it just depends on how much time/money you want to spend.

 

[Faraday40]

Leave an old bath towel in coop, if you see the broody out just toss towel over your head and candle under it. Much better chance of getting a decent look.

Genius!

 

[Faraday40]

So I've read hens go broody as hormones are triggered by warm summer temperature. Is there a typical duration they are broody? I can deal with "summer" as long as she wont do this several times a year.

It depends on the hen. Some breeds like my silkie, my bantam orp, and my seramas can go broody any time of year. But my large fowl breeds like my Easter Eggers and Orpingtons tend to only go broody in spring/summer.