Broody got off her eggs...

[islandmama]

I have a broody Buff Orp. I loaded her with 10 eggs on Friday morning thinking she would lay a few on her own and that would be a good-sized clutch. She stayed put all weekend but when I checked her tonight (Sun night) she is in a different nest box and her clutch eggs are cold.

I have read that they move off the clutch because they are trying to add the other eggs to their clutch, as well, so that is why I went ahead and gave her 10 eggs right at the start. She is still broody as can be.

So...what to do? Give her more eggs in the new box? Move her to her own box out away from the other next boxes so she will stay put?...any suggestions would be great. Thanks!

 

[bobbi-j]

I would separate her from the other nest boxes. One, so she doesn't move to more eggs again, and two, so other hens don't get in her nest with her and lay more eggs so you have eggs at different stages of development. Because when the furthest along hatch, the hen will very likely abandon the nest before the rest get hatched.

 

[islandmama]

Thx, I think we need to put her somewhere else, too. We are not really set up for that so it will take some doing....I'll have to get the hubs in on it ;-)