broody Buff hen

[pintail_drake2004]

Hey folks, a few weeks ago I asked about how to encourage a hen to become broody, well I believe I got one now. One of our BO's was sitting on a clutch in a nest box for 2 days. when she got off the clutch (and sat on some other eggs in the box beside her) we moved her to a rabbit cage with the original eggs she was sitting on. She has sat on the eggs for 2 solid days since, I'm certain she has ate because the food and water levels have both gone down.
I have a few questions:
1) When she got off the 1st clutch of eggs to sit on the other eggs, did the original clutch get rejected? She is sitting on the original clutch now.
2) Should we pull the eggs and replace with new eggs? I know she was off the eggs for a while, but I don't know how long. Also, we have 3 roosters, so I'm pretty sure all the hens have been bred.
3) If the hen did not reject the 1st clutch, when should I candle the eggs? 8-16-17 will have been 4 days since we found her sitting.

 

[sourland]

I doubt if the eggs got chilled to the point that they are no longer viable. I like to candle dark eggs around 7 to 10 days - white eggs somewhat earlier than that. Move the feed and water somewhere away from where she is setting so that she has to leave the nest to eat and drink - otherwise there is the possibility that she might soil the nest. Good luck for a successful hatch.

 

[Chaos18]

1) No. My last broody sat on different eggs three different times for several hours each time. Her original eggs hatched 11 out of 13.
2) Not unless you have a specific group of eggs you want her to hatch.
3) I never candle broodies eggs.

 

[pintail_drake2004]

my fiancé put the waterer and food tray on the other side of the rabbit cage so the hen has to get out of the box to eat. Just hoping we are doing everything "right"

 

[Mrs. K]

Really the girl needs to get out and interact with the flock once a day. She should take a good dust bath, which will help with lice, so you want her to do that. She should terrorize the flock, so they giver her wide berth, which will help when she brings the chicks out to meet them.

I would not worry about the eggs chilling, I once had a broody leave them in October, and the eggs were cool to the touch, and the advice I got here, was to put her back on them and they hatched on schedule.