5 hens brooding with one egg???????

[salkxsj]

My chickens been giving 3-5 eggs a day last week 1-2 eggs then for the last two days they have been hovering on one egg. And today I marked it. And they won't leave the hen box its like they will die BEFORE giving it up. So like I said: today I marked it and will wait 27 more days. My question is; Why are they all brooding with just one egg and should I keep taking the egg out, and or when will they stop Brooding.

And is this healthy. here are 3 of them

 

[Judy]

Broodiness is a hormone change and they can go broody with ho eggs at all under them -- and sit on no eggs for weeks and weeks. It takes 21 days aveage for a chick to hatch, by the way, at least in chickens.

If it were me I'd remove the eggs I wanted to hatch and save them in the house for up to a week, maybe a little longer, (put them in a carton and tip it twice a day to turn the eggs,) then put them all under the hens at once, so you won't have a staggered hatch, where the nens will leave any unhatched eggs to raise the chicks.) I'd also watch the hens to be sure they stay on the nest 24/7 except for one brief outing, at least one overnight without roosting, before I called a hen truly broody

They will do best if they each have their own place to set, their own little pen with nest, food, water and a little room to exercise and dust bathe. this way they won't steall eggs from each other, lay in each others' nests, squabble ofer nests, etc. But you can try it with them all in the same place, you're just likely to get a few fewer chicks this way. It is the way hens have been doing it for hundreds or thousands of years, after all.

I let mamas raise chicks all in the flock, once they hatch and are up and about. Just take any layer feed out and put some oster shell out for those who are laying. They will all be fine on chick starter, grower, flock raiser, whatever, even medicated chick starter as long as it's medicated with amprolium (and you can eat the eggs.)

 

[MuadDib]

My chickens been giving 3-5 eggs a day last week 1-2 eggs then for the last two days they have been hovering on one egg. And today I marked it. And they won't leave the hen box its like they will die BEFORE giving it up. So like I said: today I marked it and will wait 27 more days. My question is; Why are they all brooding with just one egg and should I keep taking the egg out, and or when will they stop Brooding. And is this healthy. here are 3 of them

It happens from time to time if you have a different run or pin that you can put 2 of them in move them and let one remain on the eggs (that is if you want chicks) if you want all 3 to keep laying move all 3 change up there environment (so they can't get to the eggs) this will usually snap them out of being broody

 

[Majd]

Of you have a roo and want more chicks and layer give each one or tow eggs and see what happens...

 

[salkxsj]

Of you have a roo and want more chicks and layer give each one or tow eggs and see what happens...

I buy my chicks I don't want them to go brooty how can I stop them from doing that.

 

[Majd]

It's cheaper and more time saving... just get the eggs from the breed that you want and make sure they are fertilized and pit them under your broodies... and they will do all the rest.... warm them... protect them..... feed them nurse them and teach them how to be real chickens.... and adorable to watch.... but you can seperate the broodies into a cage or pen where they feel less comfortable and when they bigin to act less broody after few weeks release them and see how they go

 

[salkxsj]

It's cheaper and more time saving... just get the eggs from the breed that you want and make sure they are fertilized and pit them under your broodies... and they will do all the rest.... warm them... protect them..... feed them nurse them and teach them how to be real chickens.... and adorable to watch.... but you can seperate the broodies into a cage or pen where they feel less comfortable and when they bigin to act less broody after few weeks release them and see how they go

tyvm I will do

 

[Judy]

I buy my chicks I don't want them to go brooty how can I stop them from doing that.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/encouraging-or-discouraging-broodiness-in-your-hens

 

[LTygress]

You're lucky, in my opinion. I have three bantams that will go broody over the same single GOLF BALL! Forget the egg, they'll take anything round and hard!