Okay, what are the chances?? I have an ex-battery hen who is acting broody. She is always on the eggs when I go to gather, and doesn't want to move to let me collect them. Today when I reached under her, she pecked at me for stealing her eggs.
What are the chances that she would actually raise a chick?
Should I leave a marked egg with her and see if she'll hatch it out? I have two roos with my girls, so chances are good that it would be fertile--I'd think, anyway. I've never caught either of the boys 'in the act' but I am guessing that if they are with their girls, they're mating, right?
I'm not exactly sure what breed of hens these battery girls are, they are the smaller, leaner type like most egg layers, are light buff colored, with read specks throughout. Some have more red than others.
Anyone good with breeds willing to take a guess as to what they might be if I take some pictures?
Therese
What are the chances that she would actually raise a chick?
Should I leave a marked egg with her and see if she'll hatch it out? I have two roos with my girls, so chances are good that it would be fertile--I'd think, anyway. I've never caught either of the boys 'in the act' but I am guessing that if they are with their girls, they're mating, right?
I'm not exactly sure what breed of hens these battery girls are, they are the smaller, leaner type like most egg layers, are light buff colored, with read specks throughout. Some have more red than others.
Anyone good with breeds willing to take a guess as to what they might be if I take some pictures?
Therese
, ok so why I am at this topic in fact , I own now a few ex batts and got some more of them too , a few are better feathered and less thin and a few are the opposite so now I have just noticed on one of the new ones who has been first living out already and doesnt come straight from the cages she is acting kinda weird too as what looks to broody behavior , she was laying immediately after her arrival also along with other girls , they are well taken care off and now I see she is sitting on eggs and collects them too , is that just a short phase because she is happy or what am I supposed to thing of that ?? no hissing and growling to me yet so far and still able to collect the eggs without getting beaten up by these huge mamas lol 
but it is weird because I assumed that these never go broody because first of all they are hybrids and secondly are not raised with the love of their moms and not to mention the fact how they were kept ofcourse but Now I did notice on some footage inside a battery that some of these girls indeed tend to go broody EVEN IN THOSE BATTERIES !!! ??? whut ???? any ideas ? opinions ?? ps : IF broody they will be broken because they need to put their energy into themselfes right now , are not in the condition to hatch and I can't put them trough that now , so just checking to be sure here ... thx
