Sophie Bennett
A broody hen, or a hen that wants to sit on eggs and hatch them, is an essential part of the process of hatching chicks. Broody hens are instinctively protective of their eggs and will keep them warm, clucking and talking to the chicks inside the eggs before they hatch. They will also encourage the chicks to start pipping and hatch out of the egg. Broody hens will sit on their eggs for 21 days, controlling humidity and temperature, after which the chicks will hatch and the mother hen will show them where the food and water are, protecting them from intruders.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Incubation period | 21 days, sometimes a day or two earlier for smaller chicken breeds |
| Number of eggs | Minimum of 6 at a time, ideally 12-15 for large fowl breeds |
| Broody hen tests | Dummy eggs to mimic incubation |
| Bonding time | Chicks should be no more than a day or two old to be accepted by a broody hen |
| Brooding pen | A dark, cozy spot with food, water, and a location to relieve herself |
| Nest | Soft bottom to protect the eggs |
| Humidity | Increase ventilation as embryos grow bigger, especially from days 18-21 |
| Temperature | Maintain humidity and temperature during the incubation period |
| Food | Chick starter feed |
| Water | In a shallow container, no deeper than 2 cm |
| Reintegration | Chicks join the flock when they are old enough |
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What You'll Learn
- A broody hen will cluck and talk to her chicks before they hatch
- Chicks need to stay in a warm incubator until they are 'fluffed out' after hatching
- A mother hen will keep her chicks warm and show them where food and water are
- Chicks imprint on their mother hen if they are young enough
- Broody hens need a dark, cosy spot to nest
A broody hen will cluck and talk to her chicks before they hatch
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 the chicks are still in their eggs, a mother hen will cluck and talk to them. She will also encourage the chicks to start pipping and hatch out of the egg.
The bond between a mother hen and her chicks begins while the chicks are still in the egg. Generally, chicks that are no more than a day or two old are most readily accepted by a broody hen. Chicks that are introduced to a mother hen must be young enough to imprint and bond with her.
After the chicks hatch, the mother hen will keep them warm, show them where the food and water are, and protect them from intruders. The feeder and water in the brooding pen need to be low enough to the ground so that the chicks can reach the food and water. The hen will also teach her chicks how to eat and drink. The hen will not lay eggs while she is raising her chicks, so chick starter feed will provide her with all the nutrients she needs, as well as providing the chicks with the nutrition they need to grow.
Once the mother hen has finished raising her chicks, she will want to rejoin her flock. You can wait until the chicks are old enough to join the flock, or you can let the mother hen rejoin the flock and continue to raise the chicks yourself.
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Chicks need to stay in a warm incubator until they are 'fluffed out' after hatching
A mother hen will take care of her chicks, whether she has hatched them herself or been introduced to them after hatching. The bond between a mother hen and her chicks begins when they are still in the egg. The mother hen will cluck and "talk" to her chicks before they hatch and will encourage them to hatch out of the egg.
Broody hens are instinctively protective of their chicks and will keep them warm, show them where the food and water are, and protect them from intruders. The feeder and water in the brooding pen need to be low enough to the ground so that the chicks can reach them. They should also be fastened securely so that the mother hen does not knock them over.
Chicks that have just hatched need to stay in a warm incubator until they are fluffed out. This means that their down feathers have dried, and they look fluffy and soft. Chicks should not be removed from the incubator until they are fluffed out and all the eggs have hatched. Once all the chicks have hatched and fluffed out, you can open the incubator and move them to a brooder, which should be prepared with heat, food, and water.
If you are hatching chicks in an incubator, you will need to control the temperature, humidity, and egg turning. It is important to increase ventilation as the embryos grow bigger, especially from days 18 to 21. You should also candle the eggs to determine whether an embryo is developing.
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A mother hen will keep her chicks warm and show them where food and water are
A mother hen's work is never done, and this is especially true when she is raising her chicks. A mother hen knows exactly what to do for her chicks, and her first priority is to keep them warm. She will also teach them how to eat and drink, but she won't be laying any eggs of her own while she is busy caring for her young.
In the first few days after her chicks hatch, a mother hen will keep them warm. During this time, the chicks will stay in a brooder, which is a warm place where they can dry off and fluff out their down feathers. The mother hen will also teach her chicks how to eat and drink. It is important that the feeder and water in the brooding pen are low enough to the ground so that the chicks can reach them. The mother hen will also ensure that the food and water containers are securely fastened so that she doesn't knock them over in her efforts to teach her chicks.
The mother hen will also protect her chicks from intruders. She will cluck and "talk" to her chicks, encouraging them to start pipping and hatch out of their eggs. She will also keep track of her chicks to the best of her ability.
While the mother hen is busy raising her chicks, she won't be laying any eggs of her own. This means that she will need to be fed a chick starter grower feed to ensure she gets all the nutrients she needs.
Overall, a mother hen is a dedicated and protective caregiver, ensuring her chicks are warm, safe, and well-fed as they grow and develop.
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Chicks imprint on their mother hen if they are young enough
A mother hen plays a crucial role in the hatching process and the early development of her chicks. Broody hens, or hens that want to sit on eggs and hatch them, have a unique instinctual behaviour that ensures the survival of the species. While the chick is still in the egg, the mother hen will cluck and "talk" to the chicks, encouraging them to hatch. During the critical last three days of the incubation period, the mother hen works hard to maintain humidity and temperature.
Once the chicks have hatched, the mother hen will keep them warm, protect them from intruders, and show them where the food and water are. The feeder and water in the brooding pen need to be low enough to the ground so that the chicks can reach them, and they should be fastened securely so that the mother hen does not knock them over. The mother hen will also teach her chicks how to eat and drink.
As the mother hen finishes her job of raising the chicks, she will want to rejoin her flock. You can wait until the chicks are old enough to join the flock, or you can let the mother hen rejoin the flock early and continue to raise the chicks yourself.
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Broody hens need a dark, cosy spot to nest
Broody hens are female chickens that want to sit on eggs and hatch them. This instinctual behaviour is called broodiness, and it ensures the survival of the species. Broody hens need a dark, cosy spot to nest, along with access to food and water. The nesting area should be soft to protect the eggs, and the bottom of the nest should be padded to prevent the eggs from cracking under the weight of the hen. Nest box pads and liners can be used, with chopped straw or shavings on top. While straw isn't necessary, it gives broody hens the opportunity to work their nesting instinct.
Serious breeders often have dedicated coops or broody pens for broody hens to nest. Broody hens typically choose their nesting spots, and they can be very attached to their chosen locations. If a broody hen needs to be moved, it is best done at night to minimise upset. Broody hens typically sit in one spot fanatically and are very hard to distract, even for food. However, if a hen leaves the nest for extended periods, the eggs may get cold, and it is recommended to give her dummy eggs to test her broodiness.
Before hatching, fertile eggs can be stored for up to seven days in a cool room at a steady 55-60°F. Once placed in a warm incubator, they develop over 21 days with proper care. During the last three days, known as lockdown, the eggs are candled for the final time, and the incubator is prepared for hatching. The eggs are then returned to the incubator, with the larger end facing up, so the chick can position itself for hatching.
After the chicks hatch, they need to stay in the warm incubator until they are fluffed out, meaning their down feathers are dry and fluffy. The incubator should be left undisturbed during this time to avoid stressing the hen and accidentally squashing vulnerable chicks. Once the chicks have hatched and fluffed out, they can be moved to a brooder with heat, food, and water. The feeder and water in the brooding pen should be low enough for the chicks to access, and they should be secured so the mother hen doesn't knock them over.
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Frequently asked questions
A mother hen will cluck and "talk" to the chicks inside the eggs, encouraging them to hatch. She will also maintain humidity and temperature during the incubation period.
Chicken eggs have an incubation period of 21 days. However, smaller breeds may hatch a day or two earlier, and temperature fluctuations could account for a few extra days.
In the three days before the chicks hatch, do not lift or move the hen. On day 18, stop turning the eggs and ensure they are positioned with the larger end facing up.
Once the chicks have hatched, you should remove any shells or unhatched eggs from the nest and replace the bedding with fresh litter. You should also provide the hen and chicks with chick starter feed and fresh water in a shallow container.
The chicks must be young enough to imprint and bond with the mother hen, generally no more than a day or two old. Allow the hen to be broody in her pen for a few days before introducing the chicks and give her dummy eggs to make it seem like she has been incubating them.
