The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Chrisnut on February 25, 2015, 08:43:58 pm

Title: Broody Hens....
Post by: Chrisnut on February 25, 2015, 08:43:58 pm

Hi all....

nice to see the evenings starting to get longer finally ..... i have a question .....

We have 2 x hens which have gone broody ..... a hybrid hen currently on 1 hybrid egg and 8 buff orpington eggs...and a buff orpington on 7 buff orpington eggs.... my dilemma is that they have nested within the existing coops .... the buff in a coop for the orpingtons and  the hybrid in a seperate enclosure where the hybrids are kept.

We/I moved the hybrid hen to a seperate nestbox on a previous occasion when she went broody to find she came off the eggs and returned to the main coop..... my question is .... can we allow the hen to go full term with a cockerel and hens within the same enclosure or is it best to remove her and her eggs knowing that she may again come off.... ps hybrid eggs candled and 6 of the 9 are developing.

Comments welcome

THx

Title: Re: Broody Hens....
Post by: Q on February 25, 2015, 08:50:27 pm

personally, given her history of going back to the main coop when you moved her last time, I would leave her alone.

I cant see any problem with leaving them in the coop - I have done that before and didnt get any problems.
Fingers crossed
Buffs are my favourite hens but forever going broody I am down to my last two.
Dont suppose will you have any hatching eggs to spare in about 3 weeks?  I have just put some Light sussex in the incubator.
 

Title: Re: Broody Hens....
Post by: Chrisnut on February 25, 2015, 08:54:09 pm

hi Q....

our buffs are permanently laying and live alongside 3 buff cockerels ... hatching eggs are always available but cant guarantee a fertility rate if the boys are not doing the rounds....if you want eggs i can post some if they travel ok ??

Title: Re: Broody Hens....
Post by: Q on February 25, 2015, 09:06:41 pm

thanks chris - sent you pm

Title: Re: Broody Hens....
Post by: Paulie on February 26, 2015, 08:27:08 am

I seperate my broodys after a good week or so otherwise I end up with several broodies on one nest or they constantly steel each other's eggs and they en up Brocken

Title: Re: Broody Hens....
Post by: HesterF on February 26, 2015, 11:18:49 pm

Depends what you've got in the way of predator. I have Buff Orps too and I separate broodies out into a (covered) run so when they hatch I don't have to worry about the little ones. I've not had many problem moving the Orps - if they've got eggs, they'll generally sit tight (although they can sometime disappear off at any stage - I have one I trust with anything, the rest are more variable). No experience of hybrids.

Title: Re: Broody Hens....
Post by: Chrisnut on February 27, 2015, 07:15:44 am

Thx ALL....

we have no concerns of predators the birds are in a very large covered run ..... rats and maybe stoats probably the worst of our problems but the rats seem to keep tunneling in for the spill off from the feeders.... the hybrid hen is doing exceptionally well she comes off for food daily and goes back in, the buff is probably my biggest concern as much as i love them they are the most stupid clumsy chickens i've ever known.....

Fingers crossed probably move them after 2 weeks and hope they stay put

Thx again

Title: Re: Broody Hens....
Post by: Marches Farmer on March 01, 2015, 03:28:18 pm

I set up a scooped out nest area in the broody coop, take the eggs out from under the broody very gently, one at a time just before dusk, and pop her on the eggs as it gets dark.  Sometimes she'll pop out for a drink and some feed then return but I've never had one come off the nest soon after being moved.