Broody hen question

[Aleta]

I have a 15month old Buff Orpington who has just gone broody. I took the egg she laid on the first day not realizing she was starting to brood. She hasn’t laid any eggs since(now day 4). I do have a rooster so her eggs would be fertilized. Will she lay any more eggs? I wouldn’t mind a few chicks. I did put two newly laid eggs from my other hens under her today to see if they will hatch. I was wondering if I got 1 day old chicks if I could put them with her- make her think they are hers? Any suggestions for getting some chicks?

 

[Sue Gremlin]

No, broodies do not lay eggs. I bet she'd accept day old chicks just fine, but eggs from your other hens should work just fine. Set your calendar!

 

[nuthatched]

A broody hen doesn't lay. You need to break her by cooling her off. Put her in a wire dog Kennel with no bedding or give her frozen golf balls to sit on.
She may or may not accept chicks.

 

[DobieLover]

I have a 15month old Buff Orpington who has just gone broody. I took the egg she laid on the first day not realizing she was starting to brood. She hasn’t laid any eggs since(now day 4). I do have a rooster so her eggs would be fertilized. Will she lay any more eggs? I wouldn’t mind a few chicks. I did put two newly laid eggs from my other hens under her today to see if they will hatch. I was wondering if I got 1 day old chicks if I could put them with her- make her think they are hers? Any suggestions for getting some chicks?

Where is she setting?
Once a hen goes broody, she stops laying.
If she's not set up in a good spot on the floor of the coop I would take back the eggs you gave her and move her.
Maybe put a large wire dog crate on the floor of the coop with a thick layer of bedding, make it plush with a well in it then put some fake eggs or golf balls in it and put her in the crate. She may get very panicky trying to get back to her nest site but it's best to graft her to a proper site before giving her eggs to set.
If she's still glued in place come morning, let her out of the crate. When you open the door she won't leave on her own is she's truly broody. Take her off the nest and out to the run so she can take care of her business. Then watch her to make sure she goes back to the crate and not her original nest site. If she goes back to the original nest site just remove her and set her in front of the crate door and guide her in. Don't set her in there, let her do it herself. Once she settles down shut the door. Do all of this again the next day. Once you see her go back to the correct nest by herself, then you can leave the crate door open, mark the fertile eggs you want her to hatch and give them to her.