Two of my girls are broody

[CluckyCluck]

One I have let sit on eggs for about 10 days now. I could tell for sure two of them have babies in them. I'm looking for veins, right?

Should I take the other eggs out of the nest that don't seem fertile - and, if I wanted to order some baby chicks when would be the best time to do that to slip them under her?

For instance, could I slip some baby chicks under in about 8 days before the other babies hatch?

Should I put her separate from the other chickens so that they dont eat her babies? If I take ALL the eggs from the other broody hen, will she accept baby chicks if I slip them in, even though she has only been sitting on the nest for a couple days?

If you take the eggs does the "broody" go away?

 

[sumi]

One I have let sit on eggs for about 10 days now. I could tell for sure two of them have babies in them. I'm looking for veins, right?

Candle and look for veins and you may see a dark little "blob" as well. Any eggs that are clear after 10 days are most likely infertile, so you can toss them.

Should I take the other eggs out of the nest that don't seem fertile - and, if I wanted to order some baby chicks when would be the best time to do that to slip them under her?

The best time to slip chicks under her would be once her eggs have hatched, just after they finished hatching and she's ready to get up. Give the eggs 2-3 days to hatch. Even under a broody eggs don't always hatch exactly on time (day 21). Add the chicks at night when she's sleepy, so she will wake up to them and be less likely to reject them.

For instance, could I slip some baby chicks under in about 8 days before the other babies hatch?

No. She will get up off the nest with the chicks, if she accepts them, and leave the unhatched eggs. From when the hatch start a hen will sit average 3 days to give her eggs chance to hatch and then get up to take care of the chicks, leaving any unhatched eggs.

Should I put her separate from the other chickens so that they dont eat her babies?

You could. Some flocks will happily accept new chicks and some (like my old flock) will attack and kill them. What I personally prefer to do is to keep the broody and chicks separate for the first 2-4 weeks and then introduce them to the flock before she weans the chicks. This gives the chicks a chance to get accepted by the flock while still under mom's protection.

If I take ALL the eggs from the other broody hen, will she accept baby chicks if I slip them in, even though she has only been sitting on the nest for a couple days?

Hens have an idea how long they should sit before expecting chicks, so if you give her chicks after only a few days she will most likely reject them. It's better to wait until she's been sitting for 2-3 weeks.

If you take the eggs does the "broody" go away?

No. She will stay broody until she snaps out of it, which could take a week or a month. It's better to break a broody properly or give her eggs to hatch.

 

[Niki the chicky]

Hi, I am thinking of breeding my buff orbingtons, Do you put the hen with the rooster in a cage? If so for how long?