Broody Pullet...

[LanceTN]

Mark the eggs she is gonna hatch so you can pull any extra eggs added by other hens

 

[krista74]

Update: she's still on the eggs

I noticed another hen laying eggs in her nest while she gets down to poop, nothing I can really do about it, and I noticed she got down twice today maybe a half hour at a time eggs were kinda cool but not completely cold. It's making me nervous! Can't wait for day 21!

Don't stress, she knows what she's doing! I had a girl who used to get up and leave the nest for an hour at a time. She would wander off across the paddock to see the rest of the flock until I would say to her "What are you doing here?!" Then she would quickly waddle on back to the nest! It was handy actually, I used this time to candle her eggs!

If you can, I would mark those extra eggs that are not her original hatching eggs. Once her eggs have hatched you can remove those extras from the nest and incubate them. She won't continue sitting on them - once her chicks hatch, she may sit a day or two longer but will then abandon the nest and any remaining eggs to raise her chicks and teach them to feed.

Good thing you bought that incubator - you're gonna need it!

Keep us posted!

- Krista

 

[desertchicken92]

No need to mark em. The fertilized eggs I bought are brown and the hen laying the stray eggs lays white eggs. And I have no rooster. I just didn't want any rotten eggs lol. Ugh I hate waiting! I heard a rumor that bantam eggs hatch a day or so sooner than regular sized eggs. Is this true?

 

[desertchicken92]

On another note idk why the other hen wants to lay in that nest I've got 3 others, must be an instinctive thing with all the eggs being in that one nest lol

 

[krista74]

On another note idk why the other hen wants to lay in that nest I've got 3 others, must be an instinctive thing with all the eggs being in that one nest lol

Yep, it's their instinct to want to lay where other birds have already laid. I think it's a matter of "Well, this must be a safe spot because they all laid here!" I have 7 laying hens at the moment and they all line up to use the same 2 nests.

I'm not aware of any special rules about bantam eggs as opposed to 'regular sized' eggs. But I will tell you that with all of my hatches (3 in total) they all had some chicks hatch on Day 20.

You must be getting close. What day are you on now?

- Krista

 

[desertchicken92]

I put them under her Saturday the 8th at night so..day 13? I think. Should have chickies around the 28th or so...

 

[desertchicken92]

Funny update: There must be babies in those eggs!!

This morning I found out that the chicken whose been ploping white eggs in my broody's nest when she is down is also babysetting for her. I watched the whole thing! When my broody is done she hopped up, the other hen moved for and she continued to brood on her eggs. When I opened the door to go collect the white egg one of my Ameracauna's was brooding on top of my broody

. That was a funny sight. I had to pick her up and set her down. Don't these hens know its almost winter?? lol. I haven't candled the eggs but I noticed the maternity of broodiness is effecting the whole flock lol

. All in all momma's still brooding and all the eggs are intact. Hoping for babies around saturday

 

[desertchicken92]

Another update: after making sure my hens were tucked in tonight I swear I heard clicking noises from under broody mamma... just a few days left :^)

 

[krista74]

So excited for you!

Good luck!

- Krista

 

[desertchicken92]

Day 19 no movement. Eggs still look like eggs...I hope they hatch :/