Broody hen won't stop brooding, even with chicks??

[mirandaleecon]

I believe I may have created the most broody chicken breed ever. Last year I hatched several Easter EggerXFaverolle crosses. They all started laying in Dec-Jan timeframe and by the end of Jan, I had 4 (out of 11) broody hens.
Well the first one to have chicks hatched refused to leave the coop (they all free-range), so I moved her to a small pen and she's doing fine now. Then the other three hen's chicks hatched a week later. One hen basically adopted all but one of those chicks because the other two wouldn't leave the nest.
I actually though that one chick perished somehow but turns out, it's been under another hen the whole time, who is still acting broody. The poor chick hasn't grown a bit, I'm not sure it will make it.
I was going to break the two of being broody this weekend but I don't know what I should I do about the one who has that chick.
Has anyone ever had this before? Any way I can encourage her to take her chick out without stressing her out?

 

[junebuggena]

How long has it been since the chick hatched? It can take a hen a few days after the first chick out, to snap out of the brooding phase. If she doesn't voluntarily leave the nest after 72 hours of the chick being hatched, you might just have to move her off. The chick should follow. Sprinkle some feed near the hen. She should start 'tidbitting' to encourage the chick to eat.

 

[BoomChickaPop]

I believe I may have created the most broody chicken breed ever. Last year I hatched several Easter EggerXFaverolle crosses. They all started laying in Dec-Jan timeframe and by the end of Jan, I had 4 (out of 11) broody hens.
Well the first one to have chicks hatched refused to leave the coop (they all free-range), so I moved her to a small pen and she's doing fine now. Then the other three hen's chicks hatched a week later. One hen basically adopted all but one of those chicks because the other two wouldn't leave the nest.
I actually though that one chick perished somehow but turns out, it's been under another hen the whole time, who is still acting broody. The poor chick hasn't grown a bit, I'm not sure it will make it.
I was going to break the two of being broody this weekend but I don't know what I should I do about the one who has that chick.
Has anyone ever had this before? Any way I can encourage her to take her chick out without stressing her out.

Sounds like you have a problem. Of BROODINESS LOL]
I would move the hen that has the chick off the nest into a pen by herself with the chick. And feed her so that the chick can eat and regain strength. How long has the chick been hatched out?
Give them food and water so the chick doesn't dehydrate.
If this doesn't work I would take the chick away and give him to another mommy to take care of him. With a hen that already has chicks. So he can bond with them and grow up together with other chicks.
Hope this helps

BCP

 

[mirandaleecon]

It's actually been over a week, closer to two, since they hatched. The other mother hen was taking that chick out with her at first. That's why I thought it was gone. I checked under the other two Broodies for it and didn't see it. Must have been tucked under a wing and I missed it.
It was almost a week before I saw it again. Found it crying outside all alone. Thought it was a new chick that hatched, the poor thing was tiny and shivering.
I tried giving it to the other two mothers but it couldn't keep up and they weren't interested in babying it. Got it to drink and it ate a bit.
Seemed much better today, was walking around inside the coop and drinking on it's own. I'm going to move them both this weekend, if it makes it. I have to set something up for them...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Last year I had a first time mom, she sat the whole time on her one egg I gave her, when it hatched she wanted nothing to do with it, I tried moving her and the chick to a pen and she attacked the chick, I gave the chick to an experienced broody who took it. The one who hatched it went back to sitting on nothing for another three weeks. Not every hen knows what to do beyond following the instinct to be broody. And my hen was hen raised so she obviously wasn't taking notes.

 

[BoomChickaPop]

It's actually been over a week, closer to two, since they hatched. The other mother hen was taking that chick out with her at first. That's why I thought it was gone. I checked under the other two Broodies for it and didn't see it. Must have been tucked under a wing and I missed it.
It was almost a week before I saw it again. Found it crying outside all alone. Thought it was a new chick that hatched, the poor thing was tiny and shivering.
I tried giving it to the other two mothers but it couldn't keep up and they weren't interested in babying it. Got it to drink and it ate a bit.
Seemed much better today, was walking around inside the coop and drinking on it's own. I'm going to move them both this weekend, if it makes it. I have to set something up for them...

WOW I never realized it but you are only 1 hr and 1/2 from me
I hope that this little chick will survive after all he's been through.

BCP

 

[mirandaleecon]

WOW I never realized it but you are only 1 hr and 1/2 from me
I hope that this little chick will survive after all he's been through.

BCP

Oh wow, whereabouts are you at, if you don't mind me asking?

I hope so too! I want to try to get a picture of him next to his siblings, it's crazy how much smaller he is. I'll keep you guys updated on how he's doing...

 

[mirandaleecon]

Little one didn't make it. Found him out of the coop near where the food is. The hen he's been under the last couple days was out of the coop clucking (the mother hen cluck), I think she was looking for him I might move her and give her two of the other hens chicks. I feel bad for her...