Broody Hen!!

[jc12551]

I think I have a broody hen (finally)!!

She is a black tailed white Japanese bantam. She has turkey eggs, bantam eggs, and standard chicken eggs under her. I will move her to the broody pen tomorrow if she is still sitting.

A few of my other hens have started to go broody, but for whatever reason abandoned their nests so I am hoping for a good hatch this time.

Anyone else ever had a broody?

[One Little Window]

Yeah - I've had 2. The first one I gave her a day or two, then would grab her up and set her outside every day once or twice. She'd always grab a bit to eat before she'd go back in, and she grew out of it quick.

Since I had my newborn we had another one. I'm the chicken mama, and it was right after my daughter was born. I wasn't able to give her the attention or take her out... It took a week but she got over it herself and started going out. I think the main thing is to make sure she's still drinking/eating.

We - however - don't have fertile eggs... so for us it was a problem. So to make sure they stay put and hatch? I don't know for sure.

[~happy2Bamommy~]

Yay! I think the sweetest mama on the farm is a hen.Love watching them and all their babies.

I know that if we have one go broody we just let her be.She picks where she wants to have her nest and we don't mess with her other than to tempt her off so we can quickly switch out eggs. After that, we just wait for tiny peepers!

[~happy2Bamommy~]

Wait, don't turkey eggs have a different hatching length than chickens?

I'm thinking they do and that is why people I know don't use hens to hatch turkey eggs Double check on this! I'd hate for you to loose your baby turkeys due to hens leaving the nest

[jc12551]

Yeah, turkey eggs have different requirements. When I move her I will take those out. Turkey eggs are destined for the incubator anyway. I will have to move her because she is currently fighting with all the other chickens and the three turkey hens over the nest. She has been off it most of the day b/c of it. I will move her tonight and put fresh chicken eggs under her.

[~happy2Bamommy~]

Ah! Gotcha! I thought you had the eggs in there for her to hatch.

We did something like that with eggs once and it ended up kinda sad

[jc12551]

I don't think it matters at this point. She never settled back down due to the harassment of the other birds. When DH gets back this weekend I will help him build a broody box to fit in the coop that only the bantams can access. They seem to be the most interested in going broody. She might start over another day. I didn't check the eggs today so she can always take over another nest. I will just be patient!! (maybe)