okay these are my questions: 1.) why does a hen that is brooding on no egg, not lay one? 2.)If the one broody has chicks will the others stop brooding? 3.) How soon after a hen has chicks does she start laying?
1..Because she has laid out a clutch even if you have taken her eggs everyday...so if you haven't given those back to her, you set more hatching eggs under her...she just doesn't lay anymore til the hatch is complete....she is hormonal... 2. Nope the others won't stop being Broody if you have one that hatched out chicks...they are her chicks not theirs... 3. Takes a good month or two before a Broody starts laying eggs again...even if she hatches chicks or not....
Mine is still brooding.. un When I tried to put some eggs back under her she changed nests!!! Which ever nest has eggs she keeps moving to it. Of course, I keep collecting the eggs. she has been doing this for a couple months now. I tried putting a chick under her but she didn't like that at all! Some days I just toss her into the yard and she has a ball running around and scratching but then she is back at it again. I have been picking her up and loving on her though trying to at least get her real tame. don't know if it is working yet.
4 out of 5 hens brooding. I egg a day right now, can't wait for the chicks to hatch! Thanks for all the useful info!