marinakirsten
In the Brooder
- May 26, 2023
- 40
- 18
- 41
So I posted a forum a little over a week ago about my buff orpington being broody and me giving her 10 fertilized tiny OEGB eggs. They were growing and developing super well, she’s an extremely broody hen who goes broody like twice a year and is impossible to break so i figured why not
well she sat on them for around 15 days and then my Sapphire Gem hen became broody and was INSISTENT on that specific nest box and eggs. I let nature take its course and our buff orpington broke her broodiness and now the Sapphire Gem is on those eggs 24/7. My question is, by the time they hatch she will have been sitting on them for no longer than a week. will she reject them even if they hatch under her? i’ve heard when chicks appear and they haven’t been sitting for too long they’ll just know the babies aren’t theirs and reject them! ALSO, anybody who has experience with Sapphire hens as mothers, how were they? every forum i find says they’re rarely broody and i can’t find anything about how they are as mothers
Also this is my first time letting a hen hatch eggs so I’d like to be prepared. I have a large dog crate that im going to completely line with hardware cloth to put momma and the babies in once they’re all hatched. I planned on leaving this in the run during the day and moving them into the coop at night so our existing hens can get used to the babies being around but the babies and mom are still protected. is this a good strategy? any suggestions appreciated!
well she sat on them for around 15 days and then my Sapphire Gem hen became broody and was INSISTENT on that specific nest box and eggs. I let nature take its course and our buff orpington broke her broodiness and now the Sapphire Gem is on those eggs 24/7. My question is, by the time they hatch she will have been sitting on them for no longer than a week. will she reject them even if they hatch under her? i’ve heard when chicks appear and they haven’t been sitting for too long they’ll just know the babies aren’t theirs and reject them! ALSO, anybody who has experience with Sapphire hens as mothers, how were they? every forum i find says they’re rarely broody and i can’t find anything about how they are as mothers
Also this is my first time letting a hen hatch eggs so I’d like to be prepared. I have a large dog crate that im going to completely line with hardware cloth to put momma and the babies in once they’re all hatched. I planned on leaving this in the run during the day and moving them into the coop at night so our existing hens can get used to the babies being around but the babies and mom are still protected. is this a good strategy? any suggestions appreciated!