Yesterday when I was cracking some eggs to make my favourite omelette recipe, I noticed a few very evident fertile bullseyes on some of the eggs. Hooray – that means my white bantam Polish Frizzle, Eggy (formerly Eggatha Christie before he turned out to be a ‘he’), is finally managing to do the deed! My splash Silkie hen named Yolko Ono, and also one of Eggy’s favourite babes, has been broody a couple of times lately. About 5 days ago she was broody yet again, so I put a few eggs under her… One of her own, plus two from my other white Silkie Hen and one from my beautiful Hamburg Hen. Last night I candled them and HOORAH, there are developing embryo’s inside each of them. Excited is an understatement! Read on to find out how to support your broody chicken while she hatches her eggs!
It’s important to keep your broody hen safe when she is sitting on eggs. Read more about the time a Goanna attacked my broody hen here. Since this happened, I’ve invested in a smaller coop for broody or sick chickens which seems to be at least one of them, 95% of the time! That’s where Yolko Ono is currently sitting on her eggs.
Although broody hens can be a total delight to watch, they also need to be taken care of properly to ensure a healthy hatch. The following advice will help you care for your broody chicken as she lays her eggs.
- Establish a cosy nest: A broody hen needs a safe, cosy place to lay her eggs. To keep the eggs warm and dry, fill the nest with a lot of soft, clean nesting material, such as straw or shredded paper.
- Maintain ideal humidity and temperature levels: To guarantee a successful hatch, the nest’s humidity and temperature must be maintained at ideal levels. Monitor the temperature with a thermometer and the humidity with a hygrometer.
- Clean up after the eggs: To avoid bacteria growing on the egg’s shell and potentially harming the developing embryo, clean the eggs frequently.
- Keep the hen hydrated by providing food and fresh water close to the nest because broody hens won’t leave the nest to eat or drink.
- Predator protection: Because broody hens are more susceptible to attacks, make sure the coop and nest area are safe.
- Provide ventilation: A successful hatch depends on good ventilation. To stop mould and bacteria from growing, make sure the coop has enough fresh air circulation.
- Reduce disturbances: If disturbed too frequently, broody hens may become stressed and abandon the eggs. Try to keep movement and noise to a minimum near the nest. As much as I want to check Yolko Ono’s eggs five times a day, I’m trying to keep my excitement contained so I can let her do her thing.
- After the eggs have hatched, leave the hen and her chicks alone. Naturally, she will look after them and teach them where to find food and water.
Finally, caring for a broody hen doesn’t have to be difficult, but it does require persistence and close attention to detail. You can guarantee a successful hatch and the delivery of healthy chicks by adhering to these recommendations.
Chickens are incredibly amazing creatures. Hens that are broody will turn her eggs when needed, know exactly what temperature is needed for her eggs, and even be able to sense when an egg has died and boot it from her nest. The best thing you can do is leave your intuitive hen to her own devices and assist her when possible without causing too much disruption.
