Advice on broody who's setting twelve eggs

[shoshiedude]

Well, I have not been on BYC in YEARS. So nice to see you all! Very nice to be back.

I went away on vacation and when I came back three hens had gone totally broody. Got two of them to quit and resume laying, using all the usual tricks. One continued on so I thought, well, why not get her some eggs to set? (no roosters here in town.) Therefore, I dont know how long she was broody before we started.

Got her a dozen beautiful, fertile marans eggs, and set her up. Now, on day four, I have found her off the nest - and on another nest with a new egg or two- twice today. Each time, I took the freshly laid eggs from the nest and put her back to her own nesting box, with the dozen fertile eggs. She seemed to settle right in.

Questions for all you experts:
How long can she be off the eggs at a given time without compromising their growth?
What might I do to up the likelihood of her staying put with the fertile eggs for the duration?
At what point do I worry about the other ladies interfering/hurting eggs or chicks?
Do I separate her only when the eggs are hatched? What happens during hatching, regarding other chickens?

I've done incubated eggs before, but I know less about doing it the natural way.

Further info: Ten chickens and three laying boxes. Not a barn, just a henhouse, but I do have a rabbit hutch, with indoor/outdoor space, that I've often used for mail order chicks. She did not want to set in there; tried that on day one. Was afraid I'd break her broodiness if she stayed there. But might be good later?

All advice welcome! Thanks.

 

[GitaBooks]

1. About 30-50 minutes on warm days and 10-20 on cooler ones. They will survive for even hours, but their growth will be dalayed and they may hatch later.

2. If she will take to a crate you could move her into one so she can't get off the eggs. Many hens are determined to set in just one area, and she may not be able to cover all the eggs well.

3. Other hens see a momma on a nest and think it is the best nest in the world. They try to get her off so they can lay there, and sometimes break eggs or kill chicks, as I should know from personal experience.

4. You can separate her now or after the chicks are hatched and dried. Other chickens usually ignore hatching eggs, but they may still try to lay in the nest, and if they see a chick they may attack it.


You could try covering the nest with wire and removing it for 20 minutes a day for her to stretch, eat, drink, use the bathroom and dust bathe. Watch out for her panicking while trying to get out and breaking eggs.

Feel free to ask any other questions.

Best of luck!

 

[shoshiedude]

Thanks, GitaBooks! I will try again to move her to the hutch mentioned above. I'm thinking that's my best bet. And a relief to hear that her hour long work stoppage may not have killed anybody. Up for any ideas anyone has to share.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Welcome back!

The eggs should be fine if she wasn't off them for too long. If it were me, I'd leave her where she is during and after hatch. Maybe consider sectioning her box off and giving her a small run made from hardware clothe or chicken wire. Keep an eye on your other birds just in case, but I've found my broodies and chicks do quite well in with the rest of the flock. She should protect them if any squabbles break out or curious hens get too close. I leave most of my hens in the nests they choose. I only move them if I run out of space (which happens a lot, I have quite a few Silkies).

Good luck!