AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

Pls help. Although I've been a member for some time.....this is my first time with a broody hen.

One of my gorgeous black girls (hand raised from 10 days old from a kindy hatching) has been on the nest for 2 days. My other 11 girls (again, raised as above but only 3 are black and we've only had Isa Browns before) have not laid at all.
I had a little chat and a pat with broody Vanessa today and she fluffed up big time. Then tonight, when saying goodnight, she gave a really good peck on the hand.

I'd LOVE her to hatch some chicks, but without a suitable suitor, as we're in the burbs, could I try some fertilized eggs from a reputable source? Or is this just a phase and she won't follow through?

Help
Thanks

Hi, this was a similar recent topic made by Chicka-Dee, and her young broody Clara.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=17639

Hi Cassnboys

I had my first broody experience back in Feb this year & am proud to say she hatched all of them (100% success ).

I got lots & lots of great advice in my post below. check it out.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=17639&start=0

As this was the first time she went broody I decided to let her bring up a brood as I have heard that some chooks can go psycho if not being allowed to follow their maternal instinct, so I bought some fertile eggs from a breeder at the Richlands here in Brissy (Heritage Hatching & Hens) and put them under her. 21days later....4 babies!

I must say though I didnt realize how much weight she would lose. She lost about a kilo in total AND what is worse she lost more after they hatched because she was more interested in feeding them and not herself. She picks the food up & let's them take it from her mouth. She hardly eats anything.

Next time I think I will let her hatch the chicks but then take the chicks away and raise them in a brooder box and work on feeding her back up to when it comes time to reintroducing her back to the others. Either that or just leave her sit on the eggs while stil being in with the others until hatch day.

Cheers
Chicka-Dee

Unless I mother hen rejects her chicks, I personally would not take them away from her, her condition will improve over time, just be patient and give her some extra meat meal or other weight gaining treats, she is a good mum feeding her chicks first.

One of my girls actually went psychotic when I took her babies away and they were 8 weeks old and what I though were old enough to be separated from their mum. She never really got over it and then her rooster got really mean and nasty and became a woman hater and attacked me every time I went to feed them, now I have a fear of roosters, he was such a sweet one too, until his young were snatched from their mother, then they turned on the other hens and in the end they both had to rehomed.

Don't separate and mother and her young less you really have to.

Yeah she is super dooper mum! But she is going to take ages to get back to a healthy weight again.

There is definitely Pros & Cons with this chick breeding/raising gig.



That's what scares the be-jeepers out of me! Would hate for her to be a psycho. I was thinking of just taking one away at a time, over a period of about a month (I.e. one a week).

What do you think of that idea?

There comes a time when a mother hen and her babies know when to part, they usually get too big too sleep under her wings and she goes back into lay, she knows when she has had enough and they know when it is time for them to spread their wings and leave the nest.

Just think how determined Clara was to become a mum, what a great mum she is so I don't know how she would react to her babies disappearing one by one

Oh you have all been so helpful. Thank goodness for APF!
Ok....off to see my friend in Richlsnds (who by the way has taken our roosters when they get vocal!) would 4 be
a reasonable number to try for a first timer? AND should I move her into the tractor by herself or is she ok where she is now til hatching? Would be extremely difficult to move her I would think!

Thanks again all

Everyone is here to help and we all learn from each other.

Best to move your broody and her eggs to the tractor at night. She will feel more safe and comfortable there.

Other hens may get jealous and try and steal her clutch when she hops of for a drink, feed and poop.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=14372&hilit=never+count+your+chickens+before+they+hatch

I thought 4 was a good number to start with for a new broody. And now they are 5 weeks old the nesting box is getting a little crowded. Not as crowded as yours looked though PP

I am glad I moved Clara into an enclosure of her own, I think it made her feel safer to get off and eat & drink (which she only did every 3-4 days) and moving her from the main pen to the new spot was also simple. I just waited until she got off to eat and stole the eggs and put them in the new nesting box. By the time I'd run back she was looking into the nest wondering what had happened to her precious eggs and was fluffed up to twice her size. She was pretty cranky, so I grabbed her, took her round to her new home & she jumped up on them straight away.

My Clara the super mum!

Did you see my post. Have a read. You really will get a good lot f knowledge from what everyone helped me with & it will give you an idea of what I went through as you will probably experience the same!

Cheers
Chicka-Dee