SuffolkGirl
Songster
Hi long time since I posted! But I have a question and I keep getting mixed answers.
Long story. But feel like you need the whole picture. I have a broody hen (Ethel) who is a blue laced Wyandotte. She was broody probably two months ago, I bought fertile eggs and put under her. I made the stupid mistake (I still haven’t forgiven myself) of moving her out the main hen house two days before hatch day as I was nervous about my other girls killing the babies. She sat solidly the whole time before I moved her might I add. I never saw her move, but she had food and water next to her which she had access to at all times and did use.
Anyway that afternoon after I’d moved her I checked on her after work (6 hours later) and she’d destroyed all the eggs (all had babies in) some she had eaten but most were laid dead. She however still sat there. A few days later she came off the brood.
this past week she has been broody again. She’s back to full health etc otherwise I would be turfing her off as it would be too much too soon. Everyone I’ve spoken to thinks I should not bother with eggs under her again. However my instinct says she’s a good broody it was me that ballsed it up
(plus searching the breed online says they make good mums). I’ve moved her straight to the other hen house and put two fake eggs under her to see if she sits in there or tries to do the same again. I’m giving her the weekend to see if she sits in there properly.
I have an incubator that I recently bought (she decided to go broody the same day), but my heart says I should let her have another go at hatching…
Anyone got Wyandotte’s that are good mums or do you think I should just use the incubator?
Sorry it’s a long one! But I can’t make a decision!!
Long story. But feel like you need the whole picture. I have a broody hen (Ethel) who is a blue laced Wyandotte. She was broody probably two months ago, I bought fertile eggs and put under her. I made the stupid mistake (I still haven’t forgiven myself) of moving her out the main hen house two days before hatch day as I was nervous about my other girls killing the babies. She sat solidly the whole time before I moved her might I add. I never saw her move, but she had food and water next to her which she had access to at all times and did use.
Anyway that afternoon after I’d moved her I checked on her after work (6 hours later) and she’d destroyed all the eggs (all had babies in) some she had eaten but most were laid dead. She however still sat there. A few days later she came off the brood.
this past week she has been broody again. She’s back to full health etc otherwise I would be turfing her off as it would be too much too soon. Everyone I’ve spoken to thinks I should not bother with eggs under her again. However my instinct says she’s a good broody it was me that ballsed it up
(plus searching the breed online says they make good mums). I’ve moved her straight to the other hen house and put two fake eggs under her to see if she sits in there or tries to do the same again. I’m giving her the weekend to see if she sits in there properly.I have an incubator that I recently bought (she decided to go broody the same day
), but my heart says I should let her have another go at hatching…Anyone got Wyandotte’s that are good mums or do you think I should just use the incubator?
Sorry it’s a long one! But I can’t make a decision!!
