Broody hen question

[nellynel]

Hi. I have 3 broody hens right now and one of them have raised chicks before so I know she is a good mom. She is sitting on 8 eggs in a different coop (the good mom). Two other hens are broody and one won't go back to her eggs and they get cold. She will sit on air all day. We took her eggs away cause they were going bad and she was the first to go broody. So my question is can I throw a egg almost about to hatch under the broody who moves too much? Has anyone done this before. I am planning on letting the hens raise the chicks in the coop with everyone.

Thanks. Let me know if you have questions.

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

Hi. I have 3 broody hens right now and one of them have raised chicks before so I know she is a good mom. She is sitting on 8 eggs in a different coop (the good mom). Two other hens are broody and one won't go back to her eggs and they get cold. She will sit on air all day. We took her eggs away cause they were going bad and she was the first to go broody. So my question is can I throw a egg almost about to hatch under the broody who moves too much? Has anyone done this before. I am planning on letting the hens raise the chicks in the coop with everyone.

Thanks. Let me know if you have questions.

Ok I am not to sure what u mean by can u throw an egg almost spot hatch from a hen who moves to much.

 

[Teila]

Hi there nellynel

Has the hen that “moves too much” and leaves her eggs to get cold raised a hatch before?

If I read it correctly, you are thinking of giving her one of the good mom’s eggs just prior to hatching so that she will have a chick to raise?

Just my humble opinion but if she has not raised a hatch before and keeps leaving the eggs she has for too long, I believe she is not committed to raising a hatch and probably not going to be a good mum.

It would be a risk if you do not time it right when you give her the soon to hatch egg and if she is not committed to the whole motherhood thing, even if she successfully hatches the egg, she may abandon the chick or even attack it.

If it was me, I would leave the hatching and raising of the chicks to those hens that are committed and break the broody who is not.

 

[nellynel]

I have heard that a broody hen who can't figure out her nesting box and moves still can be a great mom. And yes I would give her a egg to sit on a day or two and it would hatch from other broody moms. She is a buff Orpington. Also has anyone seen co parenting with two hens? I do have to admit I gave her eggs to sit on her first day of going broody so she might of needed a few days to or week before she figured it out.