Broody hen advice?????

[crissycriss]

I have a older Millie flure D'Uccle hen that went broody.She is sitting on 15eggs.How many eggs can she safely sit on and hatch?Do i need to take some away from her?I also have another hen and rooster of the same breed in the pen should i remove the other hen to keep her from laying in the same box?If i do can i put her with 5wk old chicks of the same breed or will she hurt them?I have never had a broody hen before so this is all new to me.Thanks in advance!!

 

[turtlebird]

15 sounds like a few too many...I had a standard sized hen sitting on 9 eggs. I standards can sit on 10 or even a few more. I don't know if your breed are banties? I would think the number would be lower.
Here's what I did on my first trial with a broody.
Prepared a broody nest in a separate coop that was very close to the ground (necessary for any tumbling chicks to be able to get back under mama if they fall out of the nest before the others hatch). Provided food and water.
Carefully moved the eggs into the new nest.
Brought mama into the new space. She checked things out a bit and then settled right down on the nest.
She was rather stubborn....didn't want to leave her eggs for nothing. I gently lifted her off the nest and placed her in front of the food/water if she didn't do so herself at least once a day. She even poo'd in the nest once, but missed the eggs and I cleaned it out without disturbing the eggs.
Just let her set. Before I knew it, there were little fuzzy butts in the nest!
SO easy!
I would suggest you separate, as the other hen may try to lay in the same nest, possibly crushing the eggs. Or, mama may set on a different nest....
I don't know what she would do with the 5 week old chicks??

There are a few websites/blogs out there that offer great info on caring for a broody hen. Ofcourse, do a search here first!
HAVE FUN!

 

[karlamaria]

five week old chicks are to old for her, she will harm them. take her and her eggs and put her in a nest on the ground, a large dog crate works wonderfully. I had a rabbit hutch and t hat worked wonderfully. 12 eggs I think is a bit much for her. I would try 10 or less. I took a brown box, cut the sides down to about 5 inches, filled it with shavings, put her eggs in and put her in, locked the door. she sat on them and did very well. we have to remove her from the nest each day so she could poop and eat and drink. she refused to do so other wise. she only pooped in there one time and that was when I was removing her. She will poop big believe me once you take her out and set her on the ground. she ate well, and drank lots before I put her back on the eggs. I also gave her scrambled eggs, yougert and blue berries and veggies so she was well fed when she went back to the nest. she did not loose any weight because I made sure she ate well and got good food. she is the best mommy !! she kept all the others away from her chicks, problem was she raised them so well that she was laying eggs at 3 weeks and broody with in a month. ( still is broody ) ugh

 

[crissycriss]

yes she is a bantam hen

 

[crissycriss]

Ok went to check on ruby just now.She was not happy that i stuck my hand in her nest and started stealing eggs from her.She attacked and pecked at me LOL!!!She did jump off nest i looked she was trying to sit on 17 eggs i was surprised there were more. I removed 7 and left her 10 they all felt warm. Did i still leave her to many?I really dont have a place for the other hen just yet can i put another nest in there far her and collect daily or would that be asking to much?Also we have been in triple digits the past 4 days its been 102, 109, 104 and supposed to ne 102 today is it ok for her to go broody right now? All sugestions appreciated.

 

[karlamaria]

Can you move her and eggs to a different location? Say a crate or rabbit hutch? The reason is she will continue to collect eggs and other birds will continue to lay in her nest. Move , the nesting material and her eggs, then her to the crate. This way she is safe and so are the eggs,no more will be added and the other birds will not crack her eggs or bother her. Adding and taking away eggs makes hatching way off. I had to move my hen and put her in a rabbit hutch, she did wonderful .

 

[crissycriss]

Yes i have a couple of rabbit hutches i can put her in. Think i will wait till dark and move her maybe it wont disturb her to bad.Thanks

 

[karlamaria]

Smart thinking I put a box in the hutch, cut it down to about 4 inches in hight and put in shavings. Then her eggs then her, she took to it right away. Good luck, can not wait to see baby pictures

 

[crissycriss]

Ok so got my rabbit hutch fixed up,had to redo the top. At dusty dark took a baby blanket and laid on top of the nest box to close the door so i wouldnt scare her off her nest.Took her and gently placed inside the hutch.Slowly removed blanket she never stired or made a sound.Yea!!!Hope she does okay.

 

[crissycriss]

So far my broody hen is doing ok,except she has ate 2 of her eggs.Any idea what would cause her to do that?