Messybun’s Small starts big dreams

[SA Farm]

I’ve found that the best way to have a broody is to separate her. Her own nest, feed, and water where the other hens can’t crowd her, add to her eggs, or pile on to co-brood. I have tried to just let nature take its course, but it always ends badly that way - at least for me
Broken eggs, squished or killed after hatching by the other hens or, in one case, a drake - especially when first hatched when mama is mostly still sitting on the nest.
I now have several options of places where I can put a broody. Dog houses with small attached runs, a wire dog crate with hardware cloth and boards to keep the weather out and the babies in, a big indoor rabbit cage etc depending on where it needs to be or the weather.

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

If the eggs have been incubating for a while, you should be able to candle them to see which ones are developing. Separate out by rough age and give the different groups to different hens since you have multiple broodies. That way the hen won't abandon the eggs that need more time once the chicks start hatching. Mark the developing eggs with sharpie and remove any fresh ones. You might need to give them more nest boxes or move the broodies to a dedicated sitting area.

 

[Mini Horses]

I’ve found that the best way to have a broody is to separate her. Her own nest, feed, and water where the other hens can’t crowd her, add to her eggs, or pile on to co-brood. I have tried to just let nature take its course, but it always ends badly that way - at least for me
Broken eggs, squished or killed after hatching by the other hens or, in one case, a drake - especially when first hatched when mama is mostly still sitting on the nest.
I now have several options of places where I can put a broody. Dog houses with small attached runs, a wire dog crate with hardware cloth and boards to keep the weather out and the babies in, a big indoor rabbit cage etc depending on where it needs to be or the weather.

Same here...I have several dog house pens....hens just love to add eggs and share nests! My last time for sharing and not breaking up resulted in 2 hens and one chick that turned out to be a roo! Wasted time because I was lazy. Best results have been by separating them. Incubate or separate brood pens.

 

[messybun]

I am an egg thief lol. This morning I cleaned up my broody gals. They had over sixty eggs! How did they even sit on those!!!! Anyway, I stole them, filled my incubator, and then gave her back five marked eggs. I also took the chicken eggs from under my overloaded duck. Hopefully someone else will want the rest of the eggs to incubate.

 

[messybun]

Alright, I’ve got questions. Really just one question. How did I do this so wrong?

I have tried to sprout barley, and it is not sprouting right. What I read said 3-5 days. This has been a week and a half. There is a film starting over the top too, but it doesn’t smell bad. I started by soaking the barley, draining the water, and then putting it in the tub. I was expecting fodder by now, but this isn’t even close. I need to also note that the tub is essentially on a cool heating pad. It’s over a heated animal cage, so the water is moderately warmer than room temperature. The barley is non gmo as well, so it should have no trouble growing. Thanks for the input.

 

[Baymule]

I have no idea, have never tried this. There are fodder threads on BYC, I read some of them, very interesting stuff. If you are a member on BYC, you can do a search for fodder and find lots of posts to study.

 

[messybun]

So, my little mama that hatched four. She lost one, I thought to the cold or the hawk. She lost two to hunger or deformity (one’s backside was shaped wrong) because she didn’t know that chicks can’t eat food that is bigger than them. I grabbed her and the three remaining as soon as I realized what was happening and put them in the brooder with food, but they were too far gone. That left me one. This one was thriving, but when I let them out this morning another hen came up and just killed the baby! I know it’s just a chick, but wtheck!!! Either she’s sold SOON or she’s going on a pot. Even with telling people what she did she’ll get a better price than it’s worth to eat her, which is her only saving factor at the moment.

 

[thistlebloom]

Alright, I’ve got questions. Really just one question. How did I do this so wrong?

I have tried to sprout barley, and it is not sprouting right. What I read said 3-5 days. This has been a week and a half. There is a film starting over the top too, but it doesn’t smell bad. I started by soaking the barley, draining the water, and then putting it in the tub. I was expecting fodder by now, but this isn’t even close. I need to also note that the tub is essentially on a cool heating pad. It’s over a heated animal cage, so the water is moderately warmer than room temperature. The barley is non gmo as well, so it should have no trouble growing. Thanks for the input.

Do you know how old the barley is? Seeds lose viability to age, and less than optimum storage. They (barley) are generally good for about 2 years.

You can do a germination test by putting 10 in a damp paper towel and slide that into a ziploc bag with the end open for ventilation. You don't want the towel to dry out, and you don't want it saturated.
Put it in a reasonably warm spot and see what happens.

 

[messybun]

Do you know how old the barley is? Seeds lose viability to age, and less than optimum storage. They (barley) are generally good for about 2 years.

You can do a germination test by putting 10 in a damp paper towel and slide that into a ziploc bag with the end open for ventilation. You don't want the towel to dry out, and you don't want it saturated.
Put it in a reasonably warm spot and see what happens.

We ordered the barley late last year. So it should be fine, but I will most definitely do the test!

 

[Baymule]

This one was thriving, but when I let them out this morning another hen came up and just killed the baby! I know it’s just a chick, but wtheck!!! Either she’s sold SOON or she’s going on a pot. Even with telling people what she did she’ll get a better price than it’s worth to eat her, which is her only saving factor at the moment.

For next time, separate the broody hen so that she and the chicks are not in with the rest of the flock. Hens WILL peck other hens chicks, it's not just the one that you have.