another hen took over our broody’s nest!

[marinakirsten]

So I posted a forum a little over a week ago about my buff orpington being broody and me giving her 10 fertilized tiny OEGB eggs. They were growing and developing super well, she’s an extremely broody hen who goes broody like twice a year and is impossible to break so i figured why not

well she sat on them for around 15 days and then my Sapphire Gem hen became broody and was INSISTENT on that specific nest box and eggs. I let nature take its course and our buff orpington broke her broodiness and now the Sapphire Gem is on those eggs 24/7. My question is, by the time they hatch she will have been sitting on them for no longer than a week. will she reject them even if they hatch under her? i’ve heard when chicks appear and they haven’t been sitting for too long they’ll just know the babies aren’t theirs and reject them! ALSO, anybody who has experience with Sapphire hens as mothers, how were they? every forum i find says they’re rarely broody and i can’t find anything about how they are as mothers

Also this is my first time letting a hen hatch eggs so I’d like to be prepared. I have a large dog crate that im going to completely line with hardware cloth to put momma and the babies in once they’re all hatched. I planned on leaving this in the run during the day and moving them into the coop at night so our existing hens can get used to the babies being around but the babies and mom are still protected. is this a good strategy? any suggestions appreciated!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

It might be enough time, it might not. Not much you can really do besides take them and hatch yourself

 

[Ridgerunner]

by the time they hatch she will have been sitting on them for no longer than a week. will she reject them even if they hatch under her? i’ve heard when chicks appear and they haven’t been sitting for too long they’ll just know the babies aren’t theirs and reject them! ALSO, anybody who has experience with Sapphire hens as mothers, how were they? every forum i find says they’re rarely broody and i can’t find anything about how they are as mothers

The problem is that you cannot be definite about any of this. A broody hen might accept or reject chicks that hatch under her if they have been broody for one week, three weeks, or five weeks. She may or may not accept chicks that are placed under her whether she has been broody for one week, three weeks, or five weeks. Regardless of breed, a hen may or may not be a great mother. It doesn't matter if she is of a breed that is known to go broody a lot. It doesn't matter if she has been broody in the past. I've had problems with hens that have successfully hatched and raised chicks before. I've had great success with first time broodies.

With living animals you never know what will happen. I'm sorry, you just don't. In your situation I would continue as you are doing and expect success. But I'd also recognize that you could have had issues if you were still with the first hen. Just pay attention, as you always should, and see what happens.

Also this is my first time letting a hen hatch eggs so I’d like to be prepared. I have a large dog crate that im going to completely line with hardware cloth to put momma and the babies in once they’re all hatched. I planned on leaving this in the run during the day and moving them into the coop at night so our existing hens can get used to the babies being around but the babies and mom are still protected. is this a good strategy? any suggestions appreciated!