Broody again?

[dawnangel]

I have a RIR hen that we just broke of being broody just in May. She's acting like she's going to get broody again... longer time in the nest, puffing up, and squawking. I'd like to look into letting her sit, and hatch chicks, we don't have a rooster though. Is it too late for new hatches? I am in Northern California, we just have wetter weather, it doesn't get really cold, or really hot. Is there a way to get eggs that are just a couple days from hatching and not the full 21? The quicker they hatch, the bigger they'll get when winter comes around. I'd like any ideas anyone has, or egg suppliers with older eggs ready to hatch in a week or so.

Thanks

 

[chick-among-us]

It will be hard to find someone with eggs close to hatching, that you can get to HER in time.I mean you dont want the eggs to cool to much, although it happens for various reasons, it would not be ideal.If you could find a friend or someone really close to you that had some half finished incubating and could come get them and get them to the hen within say half an hour they should be fine... I gave my son some for his broody about 3 miles away...worked out great she is raising the babies now.

 

[AlienChick]

I would not worry about cold weather.
Chicks can weather cold temps once they are 6 weeks old.
And it doesn't get that cold in CA, so it's not really an issue this time of year.

In your situation, I would check out local folks who have chickens to see if they can give you some eggs to put underneath her.
The Where am I? Where are you! forum is a great place to find local chicken owners.
Also check out poultry swaps or auctions in your area to find folks who have chickens.
If she just went broody, she will want to sit on the eggs for the +-21 days.
If you put eggs under her that will hatch in a week, she may not be ready for it.

Good luck!

 

[dawnangel]

Yeah... I guess I'll have to look for local sources... sorta in the middle of nowhere.. so I don't know what I have available here. I was thinking about letting her have some of our infertile eggs... see if she's serious, and then plop the fertile ones on top if she sits. I don't need a lot of chickens... I was thinking of just letting her hatch 3 or so. DH says that the chicks won't weather good, but they'd be almost 4 months by the time it gets too cold and wet.

 

[chick-among-us]

Oh the chicks will be fine I would think I hatch all year round! IF it is cold when they go out (FULLY feathered is the key) they just get a heat lamp for a bit but that is more for me than them ( Im the momming type) And just in My own experience My hens don't seem to be able to count the days,that is what I have always said, so they dont know how long they sit on fake eggs or whatnot...so I have/do absolutely taken eggs out of my incubator and given them to a broody who has been sitting for a few days or a week just to make sure she is serious.... She will start talking to the eggs right away and boom a few days later they hatch then she starts clucking and doing fine...I have never had a problem with this method... I will clear out my incubator and give eggs to a hen EVERY time so I dont have to do the work!!
I have even gone so far as to graft chicks that just hatched onto a new mom....I had to many for the new broody to sit on,qnd keep covered SO I took half of them and gave them to her,then when mine in the house hatched not even totally dry I slipped them under her...she could not tell hers from the new ones and some of hers werent done she ended up with a bunch of chicks she didnt incubate! Just food for thought...lol