Lucas Delgado
If you're looking to hatch and raise chicks, using a broody hen can be a great option. Broody hens can be excellent surrogate mothers for day-old baby chicks, providing warmth, protection, and guidance on social behavior and finding food. However, it's important to note that your hen must be broody at the time you introduce the chicks. If she's not broody, she may reject or even try to kill the chicks. Additionally, it's recommended to give shipped chicks time to recover from the stress of travel before introducing them to the mother hen. By providing a separate brooding area and ensuring the hen's basic needs are met, you can let the mother hen take care of the rest.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Broody hens | Can raise chicks within a flock setting |
| Can raise chicks in a private brooding pen | |
| Can be used as a surrogate mother for day-old baby chicks | |
| Can hatch eggs in an incubator | |
| Can be from breeds like silkies, cochins, brahmas, orpringtons, Kraienkoppes, Malays, Shamos, Asils, Madagascar Games, some strains of Dorking, etc. | |
| Will take breaks to eat, drink, stretch their legs, and defecate | |
| Will not leave the nest in the last three days of the incubation period | |
| Will cluck and murmur to her chicks as she encourages them to hatch | |
| Will distance herself from her brood approximately 5 or 6 weeks after hatching | |
| Will lay eggs again after approximately 5 or 6 weeks after hatching | |
| May accidentally crush or kill newly hatched chicks | |
| May reject chicks, so a backup brooder is recommended | |
| May be separated from the flock to raise her chicks | |
| May be aggressive towards other hens |
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What You'll Learn
Broody hens are better at hatching chicks than incubators
Additionally, broody hens are better at regulating humidity than incubators. Humidity is crucial during hatching, and if it is too high or too low, it can lead to drowned chicks or suffocation, respectively. Broody hens naturally maintain the correct humidity level, eliminating the risk of failed hatches due to incorrect humidity settings. Broody hens also turn the eggs, ensuring proper development, and they can identify and remove bad eggs, further increasing the chances of a successful hatch.
Another advantage of using broody hens is that they protect and integrate the chicks into the flock. The mother hen teaches her chicks about the pecking order and appropriate social behavior, making it easier for them to be accepted by the rest of the flock. However, it is important to note that chicks raised by broody hens may be less friendly and more skittish, as they are more bonded to their mother and protective of their brood.
While incubators offer the convenience of obtaining chicks without a hen, they require more monitoring and management. Incubators need to be kept pristine and sterilized before and after each use to prevent bacterial growth. In contrast, broody hens only require fresh bedding, water, and food, and periodic checks for mites and lice, as they are susceptible to diseases during this period.
Overall, broody hens are better at hatching chicks than incubators due to their natural ability to regulate temperature and humidity, their protective instincts, and their role in integrating chicks into the flock. While broody hens may be harder to come by due to the 'broody gene' being bred out of production breeds, they offer a more hands-off and successful hatching experience.
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Broody hens can raise chicks within a flock setting
To avoid this issue, you can move the broody hen to a brooding box within a brooding pen that is partitioned off from the rest of the flock. This allows you to give her specific eggs to hatch and makes it easier to introduce chicks to her. It is important to regularly clean the brooding pen by removing any broody poops and ensuring the hen's food and water are always full and fresh. Additionally, the brooding pen should be large enough for the hen and her chicks, with the feeder and water raised as the chicks grow.
When introducing shipped chicks to a broody hen, it is crucial to give them time to recover from the stress of the trip. Allow the chicks six hours or so in a heated brooding area with access to chick feed and water before introducing them to the hen. This ensures that the chicks have time to eat, drink, and revive their energy before settling under the mother hen. It is also important to note that the hen must be currently broody when introducing the chicks to her. If she is not broody, she may try to kill them instead of adopting them.
As the chicks grow, you may need to move the mother hen and her brood to an even larger pen or coop. The mother hen will care for her chicks until they grow their first set of adult feathers, after which she will gradually become less tolerant and switch from mothering to being a guardian. At this point, you can choose to let the mother hen rejoin the flock or wait until the chicks are old enough to join her. Proper integration methods should be followed to ensure a smooth transition back to flock life.
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Broody hens need to be kept separate from other hens
A broody hen is a hen that wants to sit on eggs and hatch them. The unique characteristic of broodiness is an instinctual behaviour that ensures the survival of the species. While a broody hen can raise chicks within a flock setting, it is a little more challenging than setting up a private brooding pen for her.
Additionally, separating the broody hen can help protect the chicks once they hatch. Other hens, known as ""boss hens," may become aggressive towards the chicks, and while the broody hen will usually stand up to them, there is a risk that she may not be successful. Therefore, it is generally recommended to separate the broody hen and her chicks from the rest of the flock, at least for the initial period after hatching.
Furthermore, some locations may warrant separating the broody hen. For example, if the hen chooses a section of the coop that is not completely protected from the weather or is in an unsecured place, it is advisable to move her to a safer location.
While some people prefer to leave their broody hens in the coop with the other hens to give them free access to dust bathing and stretching their legs, the benefits of separating a broody hen during the hatching and initial chick-rearing period generally outweigh the risks and inconveniences of keeping her separate.
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Broody hens may reject or kill chicks that aren't their own
A broody hen is a hen that wants to sit on eggs and hatch them. The broody instinct is an instinctual behaviour that ensures the survival of the species. While broody hens can raise chicks within a flock setting, it is tricky compared to setting up a private brooding pen for her.
Broody hens make excellent surrogate mothers for chicks. They can keep the chicks warm, protect them, and introduce them to the rest of the flock. They can also teach the chicks how to look for bugs and other things to eat in the yard. However, it is important to remember that the hen must be currently broody when introducing the chicks to her. If she is not broody, she may try to kill them and will certainly not adopt them.
There are some important preparations to be made when using a broody hen to raise chicks. Firstly, it is recommended to allow the chicks some time to eat, drink, and recover from the stress of shipping before introducing them to the hen. This way, they will be sated and ready to settle down beneath the mother hen. Additionally, it is crucial to provide a safe space for the hen and chicks, separate from the rest of the flock, as other hens may try to hurt the chicks.
While broody hens are typically attentive and protective of their chicks, there may be instances where a hen rejects or attacks her own chicks. This behaviour can be concerning, and there are several possible reasons for it. One reason could be that the hen is a new mother and simply does not know how to care for her chicks yet. The hen may grow out of this behaviour as her maternal instincts kick in, or she may never become a good mother. Additionally, the hen may reject the chicks if she hasn't been broody for the right amount of time.
If a broody hen rejects her chicks, it may be necessary to take care of the chicks yourself or try to find another bird to adopt them. It is important to act quickly, as rejected chicks may be at risk of being killed by the hen or other flock members.
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Broody hens can be snapped out of broodiness by giving them chicks
A hen that is committed to hatching chicks is known as a broody hen. The state of being broody is controlled by instinct, hormones, and lighting conditions. Broody hens are known to sit on their nests for 21 days until their eggs hatch. They only get off their nests 1-2 times a day to eat, drink, and poop. Broody hens are also known to pluck their own feathers to build their nests. While this is all well and good if you want your hen to hatch eggs, it is not healthy for them to do this if they are not hatching eggs. They lose feathers and weight and also stop laying eggs.
There are several other methods to snap a broody hen out of broodiness. One method is to gently remove the hen from her nest and put her outside with the rest of her flock. Another method is to collect the eggs from her nest frequently, thereby discouraging her from settling on them. It is also important to separate the broody hen from the rest of the flock, especially if her location is not safe, is too difficult to block off, or is exposed to the weather.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, your hen must be broody to take chicks. If she is not broody, she may try to kill them.
A broody hen will sit on a nest of eggs for 21 days (more or less) until they hatch. She will take breaks every few days to eat, drink, dust bathe, and poop.
You can either let her sit in her chosen spot or move her to a new place. If you let her stay in her chosen spot, she will continue to interact with the flock, but other hens may lay eggs in her nest. If you move her to a new place, she will be less stressed and you can give her specific eggs to hatch, but you will have to provide separate food and water for her.
You can decide whether or not you want her to raise the chicks with the flock. If you do, the chicks will be less protected from predators and older flock members. If you don't, the mother hen will be more aggressive towards other birds, but the chicks will be safer.
First, give the shipped chicks 6 hours to recover in a heated brooding area with access to food and water. Then, pick up the chicks one at a time, show them to the hen, and tuck them gently under her. If she accepts them, she will cluck excitedly and use her beak to push the chick further underneath.
