Broody Hen Thread!

One of my Delawares, Diva (AKA Mean Girl), went broody in a big way. She has been walking around the yard clucking softly and kind of staying off to herself. I thought maybe she wasn't feeling well, but she's been eating and drinking. I went to gather eggs today and she she scared me half to death with her broody screech. Lol!

This makes three broody girls in a row in the last couple of months.



Congrats!! Broody screeches r scary when not expected!!
 
My broody just finished hatching babies last night some time. SHE IS THE BEST BROODY EVER! I mean this hen is one to be jealous of she is so good.
 
Can I ask about the above statement-----why would you want to know which egg came from which hen?


There are 2 breeds (Prod red and barred rock) in the flock, most eggs fall into 2 distinct groups based on size/appearence, was under the impression that 1 type was from each breed. The egg appeared to be from a red but the chick was black like a barred rock. Rooster is a RIR.

The reason to know which hen laid an egg would be to breed that hen for desirable traits. I'm not to that point, I'd settle for any small fluffy thing at this point.
 
There are 2 breeds (Prod red and barred rock) in the flock, most eggs fall into 2 distinct groups based on size/appearence, was under the impression that 1 type was from each breed. The egg appeared to be from a red but the chick was black like a barred rock. Rooster is a RIR.

The reason to know which hen laid an egg would be to breed that hen for desirable traits. I'm not to that point, I'd settle for any small fluffy thing at this point.
You do know if you breed a RIR rooster to a Barred rock hen----you get Black Sex-links. If the chicks are black with a white spot on its head-----(like a barred rock chick)----its a male chick-----if the chick is solid black----its a female??
 
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OK question...

I went to check on my broody yesterday-- and what I found makes me nervous.

I numbered her 12 eggs on Sunday, because the other hens keep trying to lay in the box and I want to pull out any new additions.

anyway, yesterday I found egg on the outside of many of her eggs--and an egg next to her that was cold. I was panicking, thinking she'd broken one of her eggs. Well, I pulled everything out to check, and found her still sitting on 11 of the 12 numbered eggs (plus two others) and the one she'd kicked out was also one of the numbered eggs (and one I REALLY want to hatch, it's from my BCM). So clearly an egg was broken in the nest, but it wasn't one of her original 12.

I took out all of the extra eggs and put the BCM egg back under her. So now she's on her original 12.

BUT-- Questions:
1. Are the other eggs less likely to hatch because they're dirty-- covered with egg from another crushed egg?
2. I didn't wash the dirty eggs, should I? I thought that was bad.
3. The one she kicked out, it couldn't have been out for more than a day (last I checked on her it was safely tucked away, but that was the day before), is there a chance it could still hatch?

I don't really want to have to separate her, because I don't have any place to do that really. But the other hens keep trying to lay in the same box! Even though I built them brand new nesting boxes on Monday. If I have to move her, when is the best time? She's only on day 4 right now, and she's only 9 months old, and it's her first (and my first ever) broody spell!

HELP!
 
My broody just finished hatching babies last night some time. SHE IS THE BEST BROODY EVER! I mean this hen is one to be jealous of she is so good.
Please send good broody vibes my way. After my last broody killed most of her chicks I'm kind of freaked out about letting Diva hatch some eggs.
fl.gif
 

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