Broody City!

[pebojuno]

I now have 7 broody pekins (out of 8 adult hens!)- 5 in decent sized rabbit hutches/ arks, one in a bread bin (don't ask!) in the main shed and one being stubborn in the nest box- I'm hoping they are going to hatch me out an army of polands!

I'm going to open the doors of the hutches when the chicks are strong enough and let the girls take them out and about in the field on good days as there is plenty of room for them to keep out of the way of each other if they want to! There will only be broodies and the one hen who isn't (yet!) broody around as I put the cockerels in together to stop the one girl getting hurt or stressed.

How do other people house their broodies? And will broody hens with chicks be able to get along with each other free range?

 

[Davidd]

Hi, yes, it is broody season! I think i have 27 at the moment! I keep mine all separate- once hatched they go into broody coops with runs attached-covered, because i have magpies, crows and sparrowhawks- I don't let mine free range for that reason. If there is plenty of space and you can keep an eye on them, then they should stay out of each others way and fighting will be kept to a minimum.
regards, David

 

[pebojuno]

27! And I thought we were over run! :lol: They are all in a big field (which looks like a chicken shanty town at the moment with all the hutches all over the place!)
They have free range over a farm so I'll just open the doors of the hutches once the chicks are up and about, stand back and keep an eye. We don't have much of a problem with birds (yet!) so I'll see how they get on.
You say you put them in a broody ark once the chicks are hatched- where do you let them sit if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Cheviot]

Hi,
I used to do as David and put them in coops with runs attached, but I still lost quite a few chicks, due to wet weather, weasels or stoats getting in and killing them, so now I take the chicks off them as soon as they are all hatched and put them in the brooder, the hens seem to get back to normal very quickly. If you are not happy with taking all the chicks off, just leave her with one or two. I have to say I don't use broodies to hatch eggs, but occasionally I get caught out when one hides away somewhere and come out with chicks.If you do keep the chicks with the hensI wouldn't let the chicks out to free range until they were quite well feathered, as they soon get cold and lethargic if the grass is wet or there is a sudden downpour.
Regards
Sue

 

[Davidd]

Hi, I sometimes let them sit in their houses-( some of the nest boxes have wire doors which i close and let them off once a day- that way no one else can get in with them or lay in there) or i move them to different sheds/ coops- i have 13 in one big shed- they all get off by themselves and get on their own nests- it doesn't matter if they get on the wrong one- as long as there is one hen on each nest :shock: but they are very good- they know which is their nest. I also use incubators- but only have a polyhatch going at the moment as i have as many broody hens. My geese eggs i start off in the incys and once i know the fertile ones- transfer to hens/ducks for hatching.
regards, David

 

[girlracer265]

i have mine in arks and hutches but on gravel or slabs so they don't get wet or cold

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v105/girlracer265/mum.png

 

[snifter]

Some good advice given already

I'll just chime in with a few suggestions

I'd ensure that for the first few days after hatching you have a broody run attached to the housing for each hen and her chicks to wander out in to. It can take a few days before the hen is really ready to move far but its still nice to give her the opportunity to do so.

I'd not let them all free range in a large field (especially Poland chicks) as you will probably have a very high mortality rate for all of the reasons others have said above. Poland's are not as hardy as many other breeds and do need to be kept a close eye on. They are also a bit daft and spook easily. As their head feathering comes through they do find it harder to see where to go if mum wanders off, so can get lost easily. I've kept free range adult Polands but have found having them in a very large enclosed run to be safer for everyone. Chicks have always been in a large fenced area only once feathering is grown through. And even then they ran around in circles often going a bit batty every time they got lost from the others or heard a loud noise :roll:

Hens with chicks won't tolerate another hen often. I've seen a few right telling offs when Mum and chicks have headed out and there have been other hens anywhere near by. However, if there is ample space and you do let them all range, they should tolerate each other. However, they may not tolerate another hens chicks. If some chicks get mixed up or wander too far from their mum, it may prove dangerous for them with other hens.

If you have so many on the go I'd strongly suggest you set up proper runs for each hen and her chicks. A few feet square is ample enough to start. That will give them room to roam and also they will still be close enough to the hutch to go back for shelter if it rains or gets chilly. And save chicks being picked on by other hens and also save you some stock losses.

Broody arks are desgined on floor level so there are no ramps for young chicks to climb. They find ramps hard and hen and chicks are better at floor level so no damage is done. You can google and see loads of places selling them. There is usually one large nest box inside the housing and then the run attached.

Polands are lovely birds. My favourite breed But they do require a bit more attention due to their headgear. Chicks having problem supporting their heads does happen and you'll need to be prepared to cull these if it doesn't resolve.

 

[pebojuno]

Thanks for the advice and ideas everyone!

The broodies are all (except the bread bin one- who isn't on fertile eggs yet anyway!) in rabbit hutches or arks- the smallest of which is about 2 and a half foot by 4 and a half foot. So they will be fine in them for a week or so and then I can always section off my covered run into seperate areas for a broody, hutch and chicks if my free range plan isn't any good. My OH is a fencer so knocking a few temporary fences within the run wont be too expensive and we have a big spare ark so I can move my birds around if needs be.

The first broody- due to hatch tomorrow is a mean and wise mother who didn't leave her chicks last year until they were 15 weeks old so I'll let her try out the free ranging as she's an expert mum and if she can't do it I wont try with the others- Play it by ear so to speak

Snifter, I had almost forgotten how mad poland chicks are! Mine were fine until about 8 weeks old, then completely daft, and now, as adults they are no trouble at all- they were free ranging in my garden until last week when they went into a run on the farm to give me a chance to grow veg They are incredibly noisy though- Even when they are in a confined area the hens shriek almost constantly! - They are lovely though- well worth the extra work