Broody hen question, she broke them!

[countrygirl4513]

Yesterday I noticed that my blue cochin, Big Blue has gone broody!!!!

She's sitting in the laying boxes doing her thing. So I gave her the other eggs that were in the boxes and she took to them beautifully, she nudged them right under her. I can't believe she's broody, she's only 29 weeks old! But I am tickled pink. After all of the heartache of loosing so many I finally have a hen that has decided to replenish the flock! She's so cute the way she is squealing at me and the other chickens. She's like, leave me alone, I'm doing my thing here, get lost!!
How many eggs do you think I should give her to set? It's been so long since I've had a broody hen, someone refresh my memory. I guess I'm guilty of taking her clutch since there were no signs of her being broody. But I'd like her to hatch as many as possible.

 

[countrygirl4513]

Here's another question, has anyone noticed that in their flock if you have one hen gone broody do the others seem to follow suit?

 

[countrygirl4513]

Just thought I'd give my thread a bump. Anyone got any advice?

 

[LynnGrigg]

This may not be much help...I had a mixed flock years ago and have another mixed bunch now with Buff Orps being the only ones I really wonder about as far as broodiness. In the old flock, occasionally one would go broody but others did not seem to follow suit. It may depend on the ttype of hens in your flock. If you have a breed or breeds that tend/s to go broody, you may have a bunch of broody witches. I'm looking for a couple of silkies myself so I can have some natural mommy chickie makers. Good luck with lil mom and her hatch!

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I've always put 12 to 14 under a standard hen...seems to work out real well..usually get a hatch of 10 to11...some she may knock out but just keep putting them back under her...seems they always know which eggs are developing too and they get rid of the duds by eating them....atleast that's the way it happens in my henhouse....

I've had one hen go broody and then a few followers too....

 

[countrygirl4513]

Update. Went to let out the babes and BigBlue was off her eggs. I looked at them they were all broke except for 3. It wasn't a predator thing. I know she had to have done it. But why? She was doing so good! Why would she break them all?

 

[hinkjc]

I doubt it was her, but that is certainly a possibility. Generally when I find broken eggs from a broody, it is other hens in the flock that do it. Is she in with the flock?

Jody

 

[silkhope]

In my experience with my silkies, when the broody one gets up to water, feed, etc., the others will go lay eggs in that box (favored nest), possibly breaking the others?

I did have one go broody and two others decided they wanted to, too...

 

[tiffanyh]

I agree--my other hens would peck at the eggs when the brody would get off for a minute--caught them in the ACT! Could you move her to a large dog crate or something by herself?

 

[SpottedCrow]

It's a hormonal thing, and if you live in a house with all girls, they'll all start to cycle together...so maybe it's the same thing.
Right now, Penny's broody and Obelisk is trying.

It's better to separate the broody from the others.