Broody hen questions!

[chickenzooo]

Hi my white leghorn bantam is broody. She's been sitting on eggs for about 2 weeks. I candled them and they are all doing okay so should have a good hatch.
When these chicks hatch I plan to take them and put them in the brooder with my other chicks. I want her to stay broody to hatch some more babies since my incubator was left when we moved.
Will she still be broody once the chicks hatch if I put some duck eggs under her?

 

[mustangrooster]

In my Opinion from my experience, taking chicks of a Mother hen who has hatched them herself can not be an enjoyable experience. I tried to do so once and the hen was absolutely devastated. The look in her eyes. I gave the chicks back to Mama and she quit her mourning. You should really let her keep one or two but I understand where your coming from. IF you whish to give her duck eggs there is a good chance she'll stay broody. As long as you remove the chicks as soon as you can otherwise mother and babies become to attached.

My advise would be to let her keep her ducklings (If she hatches them) and see if she can raise them. Duck eggs take longer to hatch than chickens and making her brood another batch after the duck eggs would be plain unfair. Which will also result in a hen that is less likely to go broody again+ A skinny Chook. Brooding takes a lot of their precious foraging and feeding times away.


Best of luck!

 

[chickenzooo]

I plan on taking the chicks out while they're hatching. I am going to let her raise the ducklings. It'd be so cute!
I am going to get the eggs from a friend of mine... how many do you think I should put under a bantam white leghorn?

 

[Pork Pie]

In my Opinion from my experience, taking chicks of a Mother hen who has hatched them herself can not be an enjoyable experience. I tried to do so once and the hen was absolutely devastated. The look in her eyes. I gave the chicks back to Mama and she quit her mourning. You should really let her keep one or two but I understand where your coming from. IF you whish to give her duck eggs there is a good chance she'll stay broody. As long as you remove the chicks as soon as you can otherwise mother and babies become to attached.

My advise would be to let her keep her ducklings (If she hatches them) and see if she can raise them. Duck eggs take longer to hatch than chickens and making her brood another batch after the duck eggs would be plain unfair. Which will also result in a hen that is less likely to go broody again+ A skinny Chook. Brooding takes a lot of their precious foraging and feeding times away.


Best of luck!

Agree with all the sentiments above. The stress and poor condition that will result in your momma brooding two hatches is not something that i would personally do to my broody.

CT

 

[scooter147]

Unless the duck eggs are from Call Ducks I would say 4 is about all a bantam can cover and that might be pushing it.

There is a chance as well that since she has sat on a clutch almost to hatch she won't stay broody another 4 weeks.

 

[junebuggena]

The main issue I see is that broody hens hardly eat or drink while brooding. After 3 weeks, they are pretty depleted. If you let her go another 4 weeks (ducks take longer than chickens) in an attempt to get her to hatch more, you are risking her health in a big way. Dehydration, starvation, and a weakened immune system are all real risk factors.

 

[amynrichie]

The main issue I see is that broody hens hardly eat or drink while brooding. After 3 weeks, they are pretty depleted. If you let her go another 4 weeks (ducks take longer than chickens) in an attempt to get her to hatch more, you are risking her health in a big way. Dehydration, starvation, and a weakened immune system are all real risk factors.

I completely agree with this. I have a Turkey whose first clutch did not progress and she lost all the eggs. I found four more eggs for her. By the time she's done it will be seven weeks and I'm concerned about her condition. She looked good going in, but getting thin now. I would never plan ahead for this, thinking it would be a good idea. You have to take care of your broody,too. A good broody is worth her weight in gold, so we have to be careful with them.

 

[chickenzooo]

I didn't realize she could have health issues, she's been eating and drinking fine since she's been broody. I think I will just wait until another hen goes broody and I'll just let her raise these chicks. I wouldn't want her to go hungry or be stressed.
Thank you all for helping!

 

[FarmerMac]

Keep in mind that when they are broody, they just eat a little bit every other day while the other hens eat all day. She will loose a lot of weight, you can fill her keel/breast bone when you pick her up and see what I mean. If she does one hatch (3 weeks) and then a duck hatch (4 weeks) IMO that is too long for her to stay in the nest.