Broody hen question

[WVHillbilly]

I have 11 hens that are all laying eggs. My gold-laced wyandotte is trying to go broody. I'm not sure if she is still laying eggs or not. I just recently got a Welsummer roo and was thinking of putting her in with him. He is only 3 1/2 months old though. I'm not sure if he is even ready to do his job yet. She has been acting this way for 2 days now and I keep taking the eggs out from under her and getting her off the nest. I know it would be a mutt chicken, but for my own egg laying it wouldn't matter to me. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Once a hen goes broody, she stops laying eggs. Normally, they will lay an egg a day fora while just before going broody.

At 3-1/2 months he will probably not be able to fertilize the eggs. It's not just age. He has to be able to take his place at the head of the flock and he is just not mature enough to do that. You can crack an egg and see when it is fertile. I'll give link that shows what a fertile egg looks like. Once one egg is fertile, that hen should then be laying fertile eggs.

Fertile Egg Pictures
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=16008

I also like mutts for egg laying. I think you are going to have to wait a couple of months for that Welsummer to be able to fertilize the eggs.

I'm not sure why you are considering putting the Welsummer in with the GL Wyandotte. If she is broody, she won't be laying eggs and she does not need a rooster to go broody. She will hatch any of the other hen's eggs as long as they are fertile. To be honest, I don't quite understand that comment.

 

[WVHillbilly]

I just kinda figured it might give her something else to think about for a little while. Up until 2 days ago, she would squat down every time you just looked at her. The other hens aren't quite as bad.