Brooding

[Kellichick]

I'd like to try hatching a nest of eggs the old fashioned way...under a chickens butt. LOL!! I have 5 Orpington girls and one Orp rooster and a RIR pair. I've read that Orp's are good to great brooders and good mothers. The problem is that my Orp's eggs do not look like they'd hatch very well. Some are long and skinny - almost cylinder shaped; some are kind of small. I have a RIR that lays big, beautiful eggs, but I've read that the RIR's aren't very good brooders. Is it possible to place some of my RIR eggs in the Orpington's nest and get the Orp's to hatch them?? I'd like to try to get a nest of eggs started in the middle or end of March, since our weather is pretty mild starting then. Any and all information and/or experiences is greatly appreciated!

 

[HEChicken]

IF one or more BO's goes broody, you can most certainly put under her/them any eggs you wish and they will be happy to sit on them for you. However if they are not broody, they won't have any interest at all. I know BO's have a propensity for broodiness but I have two non-hatchery BO's and neither has ever gone broody

 

[GreenGoddess]

You can set any kind of eggs under a hen.. The problem is, you want to be hatching in March but your girls may have plans of their own.. Broodiness is hormonal and there is nothing you can do to make them go broody... Now, if you get lucky, put whatever eggs you want under her..

Goddess

 

[Kellichick]

I'm new to this; how will I know when any of the Orp's are Broody?

 

[HEChicken]

Instead of laying their egg and getting off the nest, they will sit in the nest all day and even at night. If you try to remove them, they might growl at you.

 

[Kellichick]

WOW! Between the 5 of them, that happens all the time! LOL! So, I guess anytime would be a good time, then......

Thanx all!

 

[GreenGoddess]

But are they getting off the nest? Many hens do this while they are laying the egg but they will get off the nest afterwards and go up to the roost at night with no more care for the egg...

Goddess

 

[Kellichick]

A couple are spending extra time in the box during the day and there's one staying in it at night....

 

[GreenGoddess]

The one that is staying at night is most likely broody... The others are probably just laying and spending extra time in there... I have 13 girls and some get in and out of the box quickly while others will sit for about 2 hours or so.. But I've never had one go broody on me yet...

Goddess

 

[Kellichick]

Maybe, just to keep from wasting good eggs, I'll go to the local craft store and get some fake eggs and put just a few good ones and the rest phony in there and see what happens. Otherwise, I guess I'll either buy some babies or build a homemade incubator. I'd really LOVE to see a mommy chicken with babies, though.....