Brooding Hen

[Shadow722]

I have a hen that has no eggs but is broody. I have the fake brown eggs I put in the nest and the hen has starting setting the eggs. She won't come out unless I get her out and she won't be out in the yard long before she finds her way back to the nest. I took one of the fake eggs out and put in on the ground to see what she would do and she sat on it. Do I need to take the fake eggs out so she will eat and scratch around?

 

[centrarchid]

She is still coming off nest, likely for only an hour or so during the middle of the day. Relax.

 

[Shadow722]

I wish I had some fertile eggs for her to set. We had some when we brought them here but that hen and the other slowly started getting rid of the eggs. I heard the eggs peeping when we carried them home. They should of hatched. There was a dozen of them. I found a fully developed chick dead one day outside its shell. I don't know if that hen and the other one like her decided to get rid of the eggs or just eat them. After they were down to 5 eggs and it was past time they should of hatched I got rid of them. I think the move disrupted them. I bought them from a lady who was cancer stricken and could no longer care for them. She was 40 miles from me. I moved their pen and nest to my house. I had hope to have chicks along with the 11 RI Red hens, 2 Blue Splash Hens 1 Blue Splash rooster, and the 14 Golden Lace pullets. The Rooster is busy with both the Blue Splash and RI Reds. But I don't think I have had fertile eggs from them. The Blue Splash hens have meat spots in their eggs.

 

[centrarchid]

Try whatever eggs come from hens you like that are exposed to rooster. Get hen into brooding mode then leave her alone. You can look at her but do not physically mess with her. Make certain she has access to water and feed a little way from nest, a few feet it nice but 24" will do. Good luck and learn. Real fun will come with chicks interacting with mom.

 

[Shadow722]

I put a couple eggs under my broody hen. I wrote the date on them with a green sharpie so I could keep track of their hatching time if they hatch. My rooster has been getting all the hens. They are 7 days old today. When should I be able to tell with a flashlight if they are going to make chicks?