Accidentally broke broody

[Ridgerunner]

I do have a broody barred rock hen out in the main coop. I snuck a few of the silkie eggs under her this morning the ones I knew were fertile

What do you guys think I should do about my 2 broody barred rocks out in the coop. They are in nesting boxes full of eggs. I never kept track. I don’t know how old they are etc. There is probably a dozen under each hen. I’m predicting at oldest there are week old eggs and newer.

I'm not sure what is going on. How many broody Barred Rocks do you have? How long have they been broody? It sounds like you don't know anything about how old the eggs are or how long a broody has been sitting on them. Are they in different nests? How many chicks of what breeds do you want? Where are you, it would help to know how cold you are talking about.

There are a lot of different things you could do, you mentioned several of them. Any of them might work out. If it were me I'd get down to one broody hen, collect fresh eggs, and mark and start them. Keep it as simple as you can until you get more experience with a broody.

 

[TiffanyL22]

I'm not sure what is going on. How many broody Barred Rocks do you have? How long have they been broody? It sounds like you don't know anything about how old the eggs are or how long a broody has been sitting on them. Are they in different nests? How many chicks of what breeds do you want? Where are you, it would help to know how cold you are talking about.

There are a lot of different things you could do, you mentioned several of them. Any of them might work out. If it were me I'd get down to one broody hen, collect fresh eggs, and mark and start them. Keep it as simple as you can until you get more experience with a broody.

Sorry for all the confusion ! Here is some clarification. I have 2 coops. One for silkies, and one for my layers which happen to be barred rock chickens right now. In my barred rock coop I have what I think are 2 broody hens. It’s been probably 4-5days that They are always in a nest box sitting on approximately 12 eggs each. They are in 2 separate boxes. But these boxes are open to the rest of the flock. The eggs under these hens are not the same age. They could be anywhere from today to about a week old. I kind of had everything go to hell and a hand basket in my coops during past week and me not knowing what I’m doing when it comes to broody hens. Everyone wanted babies. And Well Its easy to see that I screwed up!!

In regards to my silkie hens. They are back in their coop. I have 6 healthy chicks in a brooder in my basement.

In regards to how many chicks I want. I didn’t really “want” any. But I will certainly love whatever pops out of these eggs if anything! Haha! I have roosters. I should have anticipated this. Just didn’t think it would happen in the middle of winter. Caught me off guard.

I live in New Brunswick Canada. Yesterday it was +4 degrees Celsius outside and today it’s -20. I’m taking WIERD weather! But winter is almost done! Days currently range around -5 and nights around -10.

I agree with simple!

I am going to remove one of the nests eggs. We will call this nest #1.
The other hen seems more adamant on me not touching hers. I will leave her alone until something hatches or few weeks pass. We will call her nest #2.
I will remove all new eggs from nest #2 moving forward.

Now If I notice that my other hen remains broody (from nest #1) what do I do? I collect and give her a few eggs? Place them at night?
Hope this helps!

 

[SulkyBantam]

With your experience what is an ideal #/clutch? 12?
How often should you candle them?
I “think”I know when I have a broody hen, but what are some sure signs?

The hen generally chooses her clutch size, and it usually depends on her breed/size.

Not every day for sure, every 4 days or less if you are very keen, but having been in a similar situation recently I recommend just candling at day 7 and then again at 13 or 14.

She sits and refuses to leave the eggs. She growls and/or peck and fluff up if disturbed. She only leaves the nest once every 20 hrs or so. She rolls eggs under her and settles herself on them.

 

[SulkyBantam]

I will leave her alone until something hatches or few weeks pass.

How many weeks? If they are dead or unfertilised you don't want them going bad.

 

[SulkyBantam]

Now If I notice that my other hen remains broody (from nest #1) what do I do? I collect and give her a few eggs? Place them at night?

Depends if you want and have the space for chicks of course. Has she ben broody before? I'd personally wait for her to be broody more than once before giving her eggs.

No need, if she's truly broody, any eggs placed in front of her should be carefully rolled under her by her attentive beak.

 

[sourland]

I would try to arrange things so that other hens can not access the broody hens. If that is not possible I would mark the eggs and remove any that are added to the nests. You can remove chicks as they hatch. That MAY stop the hens from breaking broodiness. Or you could get an incubator and place remaining eggs in it if the hens break broodiness. Good luck. It's all a learning process.

 

[TiffanyL22]

Silkie Update.

I gave one of my silkie hens a bath today. Her feet were covered in old dried up poop balls. The internet told me you can bath a silkie so it must be true. Haha! I used a hair dryer on low warm and Dried her feathers to about 95% dry. Shock horror she thought it was a day at the spa!!! lOVEd it!!!
now Keep in mind this was my “mother” hen that broke broody last night (yet slept on the nest for the night we think because she was in this morning during rounds). However At some point this morning her and the other hen decided to get off and neither of them wanted anything to do with it all day??). Of the two hens I mentioned in my first post, this was the one who sat on the eggs and had the chicks under her wings (the chicks that I took away from her last night because I was scared the hens were killing them). This is why I refer to her as “mother” hen. The other hen was the want to be mother. Haha!

I left this hen in the dog kennel for the day to continue drying. (In my heated garage 15 degrees Celsius). My plan was to return her to the silkie coop at supper time tonight, and discard the eggs they abandoned in the nest. (I left these eggs in the kennel for the day with her). At supper time I go out and low and behold she’s back on the nest. Eggs under her. Feathers poofed. Happy as a pig in shit. WTF. Is there anyway those eggs are still good? I would say they sat from 7am-4pm. I give up!! Lol. My hands are literally up in the air.


barred rock update

I went out to the coop at supper time to empty nest #1. Hen was on the eggs, just a squawking! Get the heck out of here she said. Those eggs as well spent majority of the day with no hen on them. Very cold today. They were cold to touch. In my mind they can’t be good. But she’s smarter than me, obviously!!

Ok guys! It’s your call. Tell me what to

 

[DoeAndGander]

Silkie Update.

I gave one of my silkie hens a bath today. Her feet were covered in old dried up poop balls. The internet told me you can bath a silkie so it must be true. Haha! I used a hair dryer on low warm and Dried her feathers to about 95% dry. Shock horror she thought it was a day at the spa!!! lOVEd it!!!
now Keep in mind this was my “mother” hen that broke broody last night (yet slept on the nest for the night we think because she was in this morning during rounds). However At some point this morning her and the other hen decided to get off and neither of them wanted anything to do with it all day??). Of the two hens I mentioned in my first post, this was the one who sat on the eggs and had the chicks under her wings (the chicks that I took away from her last night because I was scared the hens were killing them). This is why I refer to her as “mother” hen. The other hen was the want to be mother. Haha!

I left this hen in the dog kennel for the day to continue drying. (In my heated garage 15 degrees Celsius). My plan was to return her to the silkie coop at supper time tonight, and discard the eggs they abandoned in the nest. (I left these eggs in the kennel for the day with her). At supper time I go out and low and behold she’s back on the nest. Eggs under her. Feathers poofed. Happy as a pig in shit. WTF. Is there anyway those eggs are still good? I would say they sat from 7am-4pm. I give up!! Lol. My hands are literally up in the air.


barred rock update

I went out to the coop at supper time to empty nest #1. Hen was on the eggs, just a squawking! Get the heck out of here she said. Those eggs as well spent majority of the day with no hen on them. Very cold today. They were cold to touch. In my mind they can’t be good. But she’s smarter than me, obviously!!

Ok guys! It’s your call. Tell me what to

I’m late, what did you do?!