*Broody girl but no Roo!!*

[Tripp16]

Hi everyone!! Ok so I went out to feed everyone this morning and collect the eggs well when I went in to feed I was missing one hen (Ms. Red) I called for her because normally she is one of the first at the gate.....I started to get a little scared that she was hurt but I go in the hen house to look and there she is sitting in the nesting box broody!!

She is all fluffed up and wont come eat! Whats worse is...I have no Rooster in with them!!!

Is this normal? What should I do??

 

[chickiepie]

Now, I don't have direct experience here, but I do think that a hen will go broody whether there is a rooster around or not. Also, I think it has to last more than a few days to be considered broody? Hope someone gives you an experienced answer!

 

[fshinggrl]

If you want her to hatch some eggs (which it sounds like you do) you can find a local farmer who has a rooster and buy some eggs from them, or buy some eggs online and have them shipped to you. Date them and slip them under her.

If you do not, I've heard that an ice cold bath helps break broodies.

 

[Endur50]

I just hatched chicks for the first time with a broody hen. It was really cool! We got fertile eggs from someone up the road who had posted something on craigslist about selling off chickens. We called to see if we could buy hatching eggs and he agreed. Lesson learned though-I think I would have only put 6 eggs under her (maybe 8 if she was bigger). We waited 3 days before we put eggs under her to make sure she was committed.

 

[pontoosuc]

You don't need a roo for your hens to go broody.
If she continues to sit for 3-4 days, I'd get some fertile eggs. (if you want more chickens that is)

Keep in mind it's easier to get rid of pure roos than crosses since
you will have a 50/50 chance of hens to roos in your hatch.

Depending on where you live and your set up it might be a little
late for a hatch.

There is plenty of information on breaking a broody here at byc.
The cold ice bath doesn't sound like much fun tho.

We had 1 go broody this spring, then 3 additional chickens followed.
It's a blast, but some additional work depending upon your set up.

Oh, and if you don't have a local place to get fertile eggs, and you don't
want to order them, you can pick up fertile eggs at your local market.
Just let them come up to room temp before you put them under your hen.
Hatch rate might be a bit lower but it works.

 

[BerrytangleFarm]

Agree.

An Australorp went broody a couple months ago so we got 6 purebred eggs from a local breeder. She hatched all of them, but one died mid-zip. Raised them for 3 weeks and went back to laying. We kept two girls and one boy. Now a Serama is going broody (really?!?), so we're going back to the breeder for two eggs (I don't think her butt can cover more than that

There are ways to break them that others swear by, but I'm lazy. I threw them off the nest three or four times, but figured this is a good way to renew the flock without much work

 

[SebrightLuver]

A hen can go broody with, or without a rooster. The only difference is that your eggs will not be fertile. If you want her to hatch eggs, buy some from a BYC member or a local farmer with hatching eggs and give them to her.

 

[Tripp16]

Quote:
What do you mean at my local maket? At the farmers market? (Thats what its called here if thats what your talking about.) Also how do I know if they are fertile??

 

[Impress]

^^^ Ask the person who is selling them if they have a rooster! Since it is their eggs, they have all the info you need!

 

[pontoosuc]

We have markets (natural foods grocery stores) that have eggs that are labeled fertile.

I'd prefer to get eggs from somebody that I knew, or met, that raises chickens.
Also Farmers Markets would be ideal if you have them around you. And there are threads here on BYC to find local members near you, that's how I got my Serama eggs.