[Dans]

I think I have a broody hen.

Yesterday we couldn't get the eggs from the nest box all day as it was occupied. We have 3 brown marsh daisies, 2 of which lay in that box, so we weren't sure if it was the same hen. When my husband did the 'night run' a hen was still in the box which was unusual. This morning she was still there. In the afternoon I removed her as I needed to clean the coop. There was one egg (hers) and a rubber egg (my way of trying to get them to lay inside). It took a lot of persuading to get her out of the box, and I got pecked more than once. She ran out squaking a lot but stayed with the others foraging. But this evening when I went out after they went to bed, rather than being on the perch where she normally is, she is sitting in the nest box. Does that sound like a broody?

I wasn't sure I wanted chicks this year, but I was thinking of buying some more hens later in the summer so now I'm considering putting some eggs under her. My husband is suggesting putting some of our eggs but we have a mixed flock. Is it ok to just do mixed breed eggs? I know there are hybrids but these always seem very set about which breed is with which. My other question is she is a small hen (Brown Marsh Daisy), how many eggs should I put under her?

And my last question, if I am letting her hatch the chicks what do I need to do? Can she stay in the house with the others whilst sitting or does she need private accommodation? Do I still provide chick crumb?

TIA

Dans

[Bionic]

Definitely sounds like a broody to me Dans.

I'm no expert but have found that once they get to that stage nothing much shifts them. I don't have a cockerel but in the end bought eggs to put under the broody (6) and she hatched 4 of them. She was in with the others the whole time but as soon as they hatched I moved mum and babies to their own accommodation.

The following year I put 8 duck eggs under her, which are a fair bit bigger. Again left her in with the others because that's where she had chosen to be, and again moved her once they had hatched.

She reared everything that hatched and was a very good mum.

I am sure some of the experts on here will be able to give you much better information

[SallyintNorth]

Sounds like a broody, yes.

I'm not an expert either, just have had chickens for some years.

No reason you can't have mixed breed chicks, of course - but if you're wanting to breed the Marsh Daisies pure to help the breed, you won't of course know if any are pure MD.

If you leave her where she is, she will probably collect a few other eggs into her clutch.  If you want to put some eggs under her, I'd move her into a broody coop.  But you don't need to move her until nearer hatching time if you don't want to.

You'll need to get her off the nest every day to have some food, water, and to poop. 

Personally I would have 6-8 eggs under a MD first timer.  Or put a few more under her now, and reduce to 6-8 good ones when you candle them.  Or she may kick out the duff ones herself.

Not sure what you mean about chick crumb.  When the chicks hatch, after the first day you will need to supply chick crumb for them. 

I assume the adult flock is being fed layers pellets? 

[Dans]

These girls aren't good examples of the breed so we aren't breeding them pure. We got them as a bit of an emergency as we found ourselves with a solo Co kernel when we got our geese.

What does a broody coop need?  Would a shed with a nest box, water and an enclosed run be ok or does she need perches? Does she need to be within sight and hearing of the others?

The chick crumb was for after they have hatched. They adults are all on layers pellets but I have no idea about chicks (can you tell) and was hoping to leave them until next year when I'd have more of an idea what I'm doing. Will hit the books today.

Dans

[Steph Hen]

Better without a perch as some silly first time mums try to take the chicks places that they can't reach and it upsets mum and chicks. This is a good reason to keep them shut in house/shed/run for the first while. Shed with a nest box sounds fine. She will want outside access while she's brooding, but tiny chicks will be fine shut in for couple of days, and then allowed outside as well. Don't think I've ever had any bother of predation with a mother with chicks when free ranging, nor any casualties from other adult birds chasing them.

 My casualties have been getting squashed under hens feet (especially in first day or two, when she's scratching for food), getting stuck out of house or nest box and getting cold, or stuck behind in nest box when mum goes out (they understand sloping ramps very well, and may run around underneath. Try to keep everything on one level as far as you can. And getting stuck under upturned feeder that had come apart.
Feed chick crumb and look for poo pasting up their vent; warm water gets it off. There's not a huge about to it.


Make sure everyone can reach food, water and that they are secure. I like to scatter some food on the ground so they get taught to scratch from the start, and I like water bottles just above the waterer, chicks seem to like the hanging drip, they stay clean, doesn't evaporate, no drowning risk and mum can tip it over.

The important thing about setting eggs is to set them all at the same time, so remove everything she's sat on so far and collect or buy in new eggs (or mix of both) and set under her at same time. Also decide what you will do with cocks. I'd set about 10. Good luck x

[waddy]

Hi Dans


You may want to get a chick crumb with a coccidiostat in if these will be outdoor chicks. Mum will be ok on chick crumb for a while and will show the little ones what to do.


Good luck!

[Marches Farmer]

A broody coop provides the ideal accommodation - you can see examples online then rig up your own.  If we run out of space we rig up our own from old fireguards, boxes and the like.  Put it in a dry, quiet place where the hen can see out (hard wired to watch for predators).   Just remember to make them rat and weasel proof (including digging underneath) and that newly hatch chicks can get through very small gaps.  A circle of clean straw with shavings in the centre makes a good nest.  I put layers pellets and clean water near the broody then let her get on with it.  I know lots of folks lift them daily but Mother Nature has designed them not to die whilst brooding and none of mine ever have.  I swap for a shallow dish of chick crumbs on Day 18 and a galv. drinker (which has water in the shallow rim).   I clear out any eggs she throws out and remove any unhatched ones when she comes off the nest after the chicks have finished hatching.  Again, I leave her to get on with it - she's a much better broody than I'll ever be. 

[Fleecewife]

Hi Dans....ooh, lovely chicks.  I think raising chicks is what hens are all about.  They are so happy 

If you leave her in with the other hens, then they will lay their eggs in with her, and they won't all be ready to hatch at the same time, so will be wasted.  On the other hand, if you move her she may not stay where you have put her - I have had a hen sit anywhere except on the eggs when I moved them to an individual coop.  What you can do is to mark the eggs you want to hatch, then when she gets up to poop (stand well back - she's been saving that up all day  ) you can pick out any unmarked eggs. Wear tough gloves to move her.  Then once all the eggs that are going to hatch (listen to them next to your ear for cheeping) you can move her to a nursery coop.  She and the chicks need to be protected from rats and other small predators.  I certainly have lost chicks from right under their mum's nose, no matter how hard she tries to defend them.  Outside they are also prey to corvids, gulls and any other bird which can get at them.  I keep mine in the polytunnel, but still inside a nursery coop at first, until they have feathered up. I then put them into an empty hen house so they mix with the other hens gradually and are not with them at night at first.
Mostly, the hen tends to her chicks herself - it's lovely watching them teaching the chicks to peck 

If you can get hold of some hatching eggs quickly, now is your opportunity to turn your flock into a good quality, purebred one, by buying in good eggs.

Cross posted with marches Farmer - good advice.

[Dans]

Ok. I think I've taken that all in. She was firmly in place again  when I checked this morning.

Now to just find someone with some hatching eggs as I would really like some brown egg layers in the flock. I didn't know it would be this hard to find a seller. How quickly do I need to get hatching eggs under her if I keep taking the ones she is sitting on away?

I believe this is my stubborn hen who kept finding ways into our house so it could be a fun (!) process . I'll report back.

Dans

[Jullienne]

Ok. I think I've taken that all in. She was firmly in place again  when I checked this morning.

Now to just find someone with some hatching eggs as I would really like some brown egg layers in the flock. I didn't know it would be this hard to find a seller. How quickly do I need to get hatching eggs under her if I keep taking the ones she is sitting on away?

I believe this is my stubborn hen who kept finding ways into our house so it could be a fun (!) process . I'll report back.

Dans

I would leave a few under her. I am starting a broody hen myself I have found a few breeders on Preloved, some good quality Marans, very dark brown eggs and award winners. I have settled on speckled Sussex or a mix of cream legbars and Norfolk grey, still deciding!  decisions, decisions If she is sitting tight then now would be the right time, if buying online let them rest for a day before putting them under her. Leave an egg or two under her to encourage her to keep tight though. If you don't want to hatch anything a poultry book recommends putting them in a house with slats on the floor and that will break the broodiness. Ebay and Preloved are the way to go though for hatching eggs, loads on there atm

[Hevxxx99]

She'll stay broody pretty much forever as long as she has eggs to sit on.  I'd aim to get something under her within a couple of weeks though, just in case she gets bored. Try to shut her in if you can so no other hens can disturb her, but chuck her off every day to do the necessary.

You can tell if she's properly broody as she will have lost a lot of breast feathers so her bodyheat transfers better to the eggs.

[Marches Farmer]

I'd get eggs under her within a few days.  She'll be sitting for 21 days which takes a lot out of a hen. 

[Bionic]

Dans, If you can't find anything local you can always get them by post which I did.

I only wanted half a dozen but was able to get 2 each of 3 different breeds. I chose some for the egg colour and another couple for the birds themselves.

I was amazed that they can come through the post and still hatch

[Bluff]

Oh I do love a broody hen - they are the most contented of creatures in their little broody bubble.
In my (very limited) experience, I would not let her stay in the next box. We did that once, and she kept on being disturbed by the other hens who wanted their "regular" spot. (She was not the top of the pecking order).
I am sorry to say that it resulted in her eating the eggs and their contents - was a horrible thing to happen but we put it down to nature.
Definitely get her out every day for a poop and some food & water. I love the way they run around the paddock  shouting at everyone and taking on all comers.
She will put herself back after she has relieved herself and fed but I always stay out to make sure she is safely back in her coop.
It does seem to take a lot out of them but they soon pile the weight back on.
Only other problem we have had is with rats taking the chicks when we kept the hatchlings on grass. We were a little later putting them to bed one night and disaster struck.
Good luck to you and her

[waterbuffalofarmer]

[member=159098]Bluff[/member] It would be better to have them on scrubbed concrete surface have you a patio at all or a concrete surface? I find it a bit easier to clean than just moving around on grass and tthen of course the rats! I had mine eaten by a rat once only 2 had hatched and 1 was taken I was wnating to get these for my broody hen as I really like them but they never got back in touch sadly.
 http://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/114978410/la-bresse-gauloise-hatching-eggs.html?link=%2Fadverts%2Flist%3Fkeyword%3Dhatching%2Beggs%26page%3D2
I have decided on these though now, what do you think [member=25651]Dans[/member] ? Would they suit you or are you looking for a much darker egg?
http://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/114913254/hatching-eggs-speckled-sussex-120-per-egg.html
I have been in contact with her and her hens are very prolific layers! Last posting day before weekend is Thursday and she only accepts paypal