Broody behavior and reliability

[rkinley]

I wouldn't spend money on fertilized eggs until I knew without a doubt she was committed - as in, on the nest day and night for at least 2 or 3 nights, flattened down like a pancake and giving everyone and everything the stink eye.

Thank you! That is exactly the answer I was looking for.

 

[Coop de Grass]

You can try it after about 10 to 14 days of being Broody..Take the eggs and slip in Chicks that are not human imprinted..

I've put foster chicks under broodies before and never had a problem, but I've never had a broody that left the nest box for such long periods of time. Do you think that it would work with 4 day old chicks from a hatchery? Or would they have imprinted already?

 

[Top Rooster]

I've put foster chicks under broodies before and never had a problem, but I've never had a broody that left the nest box for such long periods of time. Do you think that it would work with 4 day old chicks from a hatchery? Or would they have imprinted already?

I don’t think it would work when they’re four days old they’ve already imprinted and would likely reject their new mom and she would probably reject them too.

 

[Coop de Grass]

I don’t think it would work when they’re four days old they’ve already imprinted and would likely reject their new mom and she would probably reject them too.

Good advice!

 

[aart]

Just keep breaking her....keep her in the crate longer.
Had one this year that took 4 rounds of breaking to finally break her.

 

[Coop de Grass]

Just keep breaking her....keep her in the crate longer.
Had one this year that took 4 rounds of breaking to finally break her.

You're right. I always anthropomorphize broody hens and remember trying to get pregnant!!!