What is a broody hen is a commonly take motion among first - time volaille owners . When a hen buy the farm pondering , it is her dead body ’s way of telling her that it is time to block up laying and hatch out bird .
During this clock time , a hen ’s bollock yield will slow and may cease only . If the hen is allow to sit down on some eggs , she will lay a small number of eggs ( called a batch ) before sit on the eggs for twenty - one days until they hatch .
Once the chicks hatch , a good mother biddy will drop the next two to three calendar month raising her dame . Once the chicks have “ fly the nest , ” she will summarize laying again .
Here are six things you should know before attempting to have a hen brood ballock .
#1 Not All Hens Go Broody
If you have ever researched what is a broody hen , you may have also unwrap that some chicken strain are more prone to broodiness than others . And it ’s true , not all hen go ruminative .
Some chicken breeds like Brahmas , Cochins , Orpingtons , Plymouth Rocks , Silkies , andSussexare more prostrate to broodiness than other breeds such as Hamburgs , Leghorns , Sex Links andWelsummers .
However , each hen is different and has a trenchant personality . Not all individuals in the reflective breeds will have a desire to cover and enhance chicks . On the other hand , some mortal in the non - broody radical may make fantabulous setting hen and mother .
#2 Inexperienced Broody Hens Often Make Mistakes
Discovering what is a pondering hen is only the first footmark in a instruct journeying toward pout your own chicks . If the pensive hen is a first - time mother , she has just as much as you to see . Possibly more .
First - time broody hens are more probable to make mistake than biddy who have experience hatching and raising young . mutual misunderstanding to look for include :
resist to stay sitting : young hens and first - metre brood hen often grow world-weary when sitting , so it is n’t uncommon for them to call it quits a hebdomad or two in . If this happens , have a backup incubator on standby , or slither the bollock under another broody .
Disinterest in chicks : First - time mommy hens may show a disinterest in their newly hatched dame . This happens when the biddy is still pitch toward protect the bollock , not the chicks . The demeanor can often be remedied by relocate the hen and chicks to a Modern emplacement away from the nest internet site . Keep an eye on the new family to see if the hen resumes her mothering duty . If not , move the hen back to the chicken coop and have achick brooderon script in case the program goes awry .
#3 Broody Hens Are At Risk of Predator Attacks
One of the most critical thing to get a line when researching what is a pondering hen is that broody hen are at an increase risk of being picked off by a predator .
There are several reasons for this since a broody hen ’s line of work is to protect her nest , eggs , and finally her young , but not herself . Even more predators are pull to the egg and chicks than they are to an grownup chicken . Broody hens usually nest on the basis or floor of the coop , where it ’s easier for predator to get a free meal .
If you want to keep the eggs safe and successfully erect chick , protecting the pensive hen is vital . Provide a safe country entirely shut in in half - inch 16 - bore ironware fabric for the hen to hatch and lift her young . If potential , the coop or other inclosure should have a concrete floor . Be certain to be extra argus-eyed when see both the outdoor circumference and the hencoop and run to ensure no gaps larger than one - half in are found .
Surrounding the border of the coop and ply with half - in 16 gauge computer hardware cloth will help prevent dig out predators from accessing the biddy or her new .
#4 Broody Hens Need Proper Nutrition
pondering hens can apace become dehydrated and malnourished while sitting on the nest . Some hen will refuse to give the nest all during the brooding stage , so the hen may need to be physically removed and blocked out away from her nest for several minutes in the morning and again in the evening .
Keep time aside from the eggs bound to about five to ten minutes per session . This is enough prison term for the hen to eat , get a much - needed drink , and save herself , without stimulate the fertilized egg stress by the egg becoming too chilly .
#5 Broody Hens Can Become Aggressive
What is a brooding hen and why do brood hen hens show aggression , are two question that go helping hand in hand . The variety of hormone in a hen ’s body is what induce her to go broody in the first blank space and also to act sharply .
If your hen is musing , she may endeavor to peck the hand you slip under her to call for eggs , or she may endeavor to assault you using her wings , beak , and feet in attempts to protect her nest and vernal . If this occur , the best reaction is to stick unagitated and not react , so she does n’t continue to view you as a threat . Once the broodiness is broken and she resumes ballock laying again , she will return to act like her honest-to-goodness self .
Some brood hen may turn aggressive toward their chicks . If a biddy acts aggressively toward her skirt , simply withdraw the chicks from her and raise them in a safe brooder until they are quondam enough to join the raft .
Keep in mind that hens who act aggressively toward chicks should not be allow to brood eggs again , as this behavior is not easy corrected .
#6 Hatching Eggs Equals Roosters
If you have researched what is a broody hen , you in all likelihood have not go out anything about rooster for sale . But , did you know that when dream up eggs , the chicks are usually fifty percent hen and fifty pct roosters . Some hens will hatch out significantly more roosters than hens .
While this may not seem like a trouble straightaway , once the cockerel ( the name for virile wimp under one year of old age ) commence to maturate , you will quickly see out you want a backup design for your extra roosters , as it ’s challenging to find homes for extra roosters .
butcher your own rooster or having someone else slaughter them for you is the most common pick . However , if you ca n’t bear the idea of someone eating your chickens , setting up a disjoined coop and run , and starting a unmarried man pad is another undecomposed elbow room to handle the redundant cock problem .
Raising chicks with a contemplative biddy is fun and well worth the effort . have intercourse what is a broody hen and how to care for a pondering biddy is decisive noesis will help you know what to expect , what problems could arise and help oneself you revel the pensiveness experience .
