Ready, Set... Go!

In the third in a series on chicken breeding using broody hens, Fiona & Hugh Osborne guide you through supporting your broody hen during the incubation period.

- Fiona & Hugh Osborne

So far in this series we've explained why breeding using broody hens to incubate, hatch, and raise chicks is a viable model for the smallholder and guided you through how best to prepare to maximise your hatch rates. In this third instalment we'll share our tips from our many years of experience with broody hens to support the incubation period.

IS MY HEN BROODY?

This may sound like a strange question to ask, but recognising a broody hen is not always straightforward. Every hen is different and they do have a mind of their own.

It has to be said that waiting for a hen to brood is like waiting for a kettle to boil.

A hen will brood in her own time but there are some signs we look out for:

• She won't leave the nest

• When we open the nest box she'll puff up and make a noise that we call "eagle chicken". Trust us, when you hear it, you'll know it!

• It's possible that she may try to bite us if we put our hand on her

• She will have flattened her body to cover as much space in the nest as possible

• She will stop laying although we may find eggs for the first two or three days

Once we are convinced our hen is broody, we can set up her nest.

SETTING UP THE NEST

In our last instalment we explained the importance of giving our broody hens their own coop and run for the duration of the brood. The first thing we do is to relocate our broody hens into their own personal suite. Sometimes the hen changes her mind when she's moved so we have a little routine before we give our hens fertilised eggs to incubate.