Broody Hen Thread!

[Mylied]

I have a broody question. My silkie has been setting eggs for a couple weeks. Now my showgirl has decided to join the party. She is just sitting on one egg and just started today. Can I give her some of the silkie's eggs and take the fresh egg away or will it confuse her to hatch eggs in less than a week, rather than 3 weeks?

 

[redsix]

I have a broody question. My silkie has been setting eggs for a couple weeks. Now my showgirl has decided to join the party. She is just sitting on one egg and just started today. Can I give her some of the silkie's eggs and take the fresh egg away or will it confuse her to hatch eggs in less than a week, rather than 3 weeks?

I wouldn't do it.

 

[fisherlady]

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I have a broody question. My silkie has been setting eggs for a couple weeks. Now my showgirl has decided to join the party. She is just sitting on one egg and just started today. Can I give her some of the silkie's eggs and take the fresh egg away or will it confuse her to hatch eggs in less than a week, rather than 3 weeks?

Short setting a hen often results in problems, the hormone levels seem to change during the sitting process and when only broody for a short time the hens seem to have difficulty adjusting to live chicks rather than eggs. Sometimes the hens view the new chicks as intruders threatening her clutch and will even kill them.
There are exceptions to every rule but it needs to be approached very cautiously and you need to have a lot of time and patience to help resolve problems during the transition to mothering mode and some hens just won't do it no matter how 'correctly' you do it and how much time you spend.
I am not saying there isn't a chance of it working, but there is also a very high risk that it won't work. Only you can decide how you wsnt to proceed.

 

[draag80]

I always let my broody hens to have eggs to quench their natural desire. Although I hatch via incubator but i find out cruel not to allow them to become mothers or atleast try to become mother. All year along they give eggs for us. Once a year is their right

 

[Mylied]

Ok. Thanks. I'll give her some newly fertile eggs and let her do her thing for three weeks.

 

[Mylied]

Turns out she was joshing me as she is off the nest, but now I'll know for next time.

 

[draag80]

Turns out she was joshing me as she is off the nest, but now I'll know for next time.

Lol please remember that only one out of 10 broody hens will be truely broody. Rest is all drama. It has happened to me also in the past.

Signs of a true broody hen is that she will be willing to fight to the death to defend her nest. If with a little husle here and there, she runs away from the nest she is not true broody.

I select only one out of ten which pecks me real hard specially at night. A true broody never leaves her nest whether day or night

 

[Mylied]

Lol please remember that only one out of 10 broody hens will be truely broody. Rest is all drama. It has happened to me also in the past.

Signs of a true broody hen is that she will be willing to fight to the death to defend her nest. If with a little husle here and there, she runs away from the nest she is not true broody.

I select only one out of ten which pecks me real hard specially at night. A true broody never leaves her nest whether day or night

Yes, my silkie has been like that. Her eggs are due to hatch around Sunday. She doesn't peck me, but she sure makes some angry sounds and puffs her butt up if I come close to her. I haven't even seen her get off to eat or drink, but maybe she's doing it when I'm not watching.

 

[draag80]

Yes, my silkie has been like that. Her eggs are due to hatch around Sunday. She doesn't peck me, but she sure makes some angry sounds and puffs her butt up if I come close to her. I haven't even seen her get off to eat or drink, but maybe she's doing it when I'm not watching.

O yes u cant watch her 24 hours. If not pecking atleast she should not leave her nest. One of my broody is also sitting on eggs. She qualified for it coz she pecked me so hard I had to scream lol. It was during the night. She thought my hand was a snake or something.

 

[Mylied]

O yes u cant watch her 24 hours. If not pecking atleast she should not leave her nest. One of my broody is also sitting on eggs. She qualified for it coz she pecked me so hard I had to scream lol. It was during the night. She thought my hand was a snake or something.

I went through her eggs tonight to make sure she was only sitting on live ones. She actually pecked me. Lol. And after I said she didn't. She has 11 eggs left.