Wanting to hatch chicks with a broody

[Diveks]

So my polish goes broody every few years but ive always broken her broodiness. Well a few days ago she started to become broody again. She is now 6yo i think? And i wanted to let her brood some babies before i loose her. I’ve never hatched out chicks naturally as all my chooks only go broody every few years.

I don’t have a rooster in my flock so i will have to get some fertilized eggs. Before doing so though, i want to make sure she REALLY wants to hatch out some chicks as i have a feeling she is not that committed of a mother. When she heard me calling the other chickies she decided to go off of her nest (this is her second day). If i move her im scared that i will cause her to stop being broody.

So when would be a good time to give her some fertilised eggs? I have an incubator ready just in case anything goes wrong. Should i incubate the eggs for a few days before giving it to her to lessen the time she broods?

 

[Lizzy733]

She should be broody for at least a week to make sure she's well and committed. At 6, she's probably 'very' used to being broken, so I'm not sure how much luck you'll have keeping her that way.

Sometimes, they just 'know' when they have good eggs - their attitude totally changes, at least it does with my silkie. She's always been allowed to brood to her heart's desire as long as she takes care of herself, but has only been given eggs a handful of times.

At 6, your girl 'should' know to take care of herself, but do keep an eye out to make sure she's eating and drinking regularly and getting a bit of exercise daily on her own if she does commit. If not, you will need to kick her off the nest daily so she can have a break.

 

[Diveks]

She should be broody for at least a week to make sure she's well and committed. At 6, she's probably 'very' used to being broken, so I'm not sure how much luck you'll have keeping her that way.

Sometimes, they just 'know' when they have good eggs - their attitude totally changes, at least it does with my silkie. She's always been allowed to brood to her heart's desire as long as she takes care of herself, but has only been given eggs a handful of times.

At 6, your girl 'should' know to take care of herself, but do keep an eye out to make sure she's eating and drinking regularly and getting a bit of exercise daily on her own if she does commit. If not, you will need to kick her off the nest daily so she can have a break.

Ive only broken her broodiness once, i think she went broody 2 or 3 times before, first time she gave up herself but the time i broke her broodyness it was because she wouldn’t even eat and was loosing weight. Thankfully i saw her go off her nest a few times this time.

Should i incubate her eggs this week while i wait if she will commit so she wouldn’t have to be broody for too long?

 

[Lizzy733]

Ive only broken her broodiness once, i think she went broody 2 or 3 times before, first time she gave up herself but the time i broke her broodyness it was because she wouldn’t even eat and was loosing weight. Thankfully i saw her go off her nest a few times this time.

Should i incubate her eggs this week while i wait if she will commit so she wouldn’t have to be broody for too long?

Honestly, I'd want the hen doing the early work since they just do such a good job, but I'd be wary if she's self-broken before. Maybe try her with the eggs now - it may help her commit - and keep a close eye on her to ensure she practices self-care and doesn't break.

If you'll be around to monitor, a bit of mild cooling off will be fine if you find she does abandon the nest and you can move them to the brooder.

Alternatively, you can give her false eggs to brood and keep the real ones in the brooder all the way through and do a swap at lockdown if she's still going strong - depends on how precious the eggs are, I suppose.

 

[Diveks]

Honestly, I'd want the hen doing the early work since they just do such a good job, but I'd be wary if she's self-broken before. Maybe try her with the eggs now - it may help her commit - and keep a close eye on her to ensure she practices self-care and doesn't break.

If you'll be around to monitor, a bit of mild cooling off will be fine if you find she does abandon the nest and you can move them to the brooder.

Alternatively, you can give her false eggs to brood and keep the real ones in the brooder all the way through and do a swap at lockdown if she's still going strong - depends on how precious the eggs are, I suppose.

As these eggs will be shipped i have a feeling that they won’t all hatch anyway so maybe ill order more than i need and put half under her and half in the bator. Ill switch the undeveloped ones under her with the ones i have in the bator. Would that be a good idea?

 

[Farmin Armen]

Good luck!

 

[Lizzy733]

As these eggs will be shipped i have a feeling that they won’t all hatch anyway so maybe ill order more than i need and put half under her and half in the bator. Ill switch the undeveloped ones under her with the ones i have in the bator. Would that be a good idea?

If you give her fertile eggs, they will start to develop.

Shipped eggs can definitely be fickle. My try at them in an incubator didn't give me the best hatch rate (one batch came from the south island though) and I was monitoring temps and humidity like a hawk.

Make sure you allow them to rest for 24 hours once they arrive to settle their air cells with minimal movement before setting them with her or otherwise.

If you aren't fussed about some losses, but want to guarantee yourself a minimum number, maybe give her some for herself and you do the rest. Be mindful of how many she can feasibly set as well. With my silkie, that's about 7 full sized. Any more and someone would be sticking out full time.

 

[Diveks]

If you give her fertile eggs, they will start to develop.

Shipped eggs can definitely be fickle. My try at them in an incubator didn't give me the best hatch rate (one batch came from the south island though) and I was monitoring temps and humidity like a hawk.

Make sure you allow them to rest for 24 hours once they arrive to settle their air cells with minimal movement before setting them with her or otherwise.

If you aren't fussed about some losses, but want to guarantee yourself a minimum number, maybe give her some for herself and you do the rest. Be mindful of how many she can feasibly set as well. With my silkie, that's about 7 full sized. Any more and someone would be sticking out full time.

Ive hatched eggs a lot since i keep an almost closed flock as i’ve had horrible experiences with most breeder/hatcheries, though still have horrible hatch rates from shipped eggs no matter what i do. Best would be 40%.

One local collector allowed me to collect my own eggs from them this time and i think ill go there myself then risk shipping them. Had 3 hatch from 20 last year perfect temp and humidity. Think ill go with 8-10 bantam eggs half of them starting im the bator.

I don’t mind shipped eggs not hatching if they are in the bator but i would feel horrible having her sit on eggs for a month with none of them hatching. Think ill keep some of the eggs in the bator halfway just in case the ones under her fail to hatch. Ill keep updating!

Good luck!

Thanks!

 

[Diveks]

oh i want to ask if i could try introducing chicks? how old is the max age? and how long should i wait before doing so (so that she thinks she hatched them out)?

seemed more simple and most come sexed

 

[Lizzy733]

Ive hatched eggs a lot since i keep an almost closed flock as i’ve had horrible experiences with most breeder/hatcheries, though still have horrible hatch rates from shipped eggs no matter what i do. Best would be 40%.

One local collector allowed me to collect my own eggs from them this time and i think ill go there myself then risk shipping them. Had 3 hatch from 20 last year perfect temp and humidity. Think ill go with 8-10 bantam eggs half of them starting im the bator.

I don’t mind shipped eggs not hatching if they are in the bator but i would feel horrible having her sit on eggs for a month with none of them hatching. Think ill keep some of the eggs in the bator halfway just in case the ones under her fail to hatch. Ill keep updating!


Thanks!

Picking up hatching eggs is definitely much better. You'll get much higher hatch rates. I've done two clutches that way - the first 4 and the second 7 - only one from the first didn't make it to hatch, but did get to day 19.

I'm giving up on bringing in eggs though as we are now rural with a 'very' rutted windy gravel road along the way. I can't expect any fertile
eggs to survive, so only chicks for me from now on or hatch onsite.