Broody hen

[HoneysuckleHomestead618]

I seem to have a broody hen. She is only laying on 2 eggs, and neither one of them are hers. Should I wait a few days to see if she stays there and/or adds any of her own? Or should I just go ahead and take the eggs?

 

[Jener8or]

I guess it depends if you want chicks! 1/2 will probably be roosters, so be prepared for that. Broody hens don't usually lay, so she probably won't add any of her own. Welcome to BackYard Chickens!

 

[HoneysuckleHomestead618]

I guess it depends if you want chicks! 1/2 will probably be roosters, so be prepared for that. Broody hens don't usually lay, so she probably won't add any of her own. Welcome to BackYard Chickens!

I seem to have great luck with roosters so I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s all I got I love the idea of having a couple chicks, my husband on the other hand… I think I’ll give her a few days to see if she sticks it out and if so I’ll candlelight them.
Thank you!!

 

[PrettyBirdRocky]

As said, if you want to hatch, watch for her to sit consistently for 3 days/nights, then she should stay the entire time until hatch (should, things happen at times)

Have you hatched with a broody before? If not, bows the time to read up on all the threads you can as each bird is different and there are so many threads that will give you a heads up-- it's what we did with our first broody.

Good luck!

 

[HoneysuckleHomestead618]

As said, if you want to hatch, watch for her to sit consistently for 3 days/nights, then she should stay the entire time until hatch (should, things happen at times)

Have you hatched with a broody before? If not, bows the time to read up on all the threads you can as each bird is different and there are so many threads that will give you a heads up-- it's what we did with our first broody.

Good luck!

I got this hen from friends last time she was broody just under a year ago. I was there for the last 4 days or so before the chicks hatched. So that’s my only experience. I’ll definitely do some reading.

Thank you!

 

[PrettyBirdRocky]

Have fun! Our first broody would get off the nest and take care of her self, our second we had to remind her every other day or so to eat/drink poo lol. Each are different. Our first was a great Mama, second not so much--( we are currently raising them inside due to other issues) so keep that in mind too that you may need to raise just in case.

At least she's not trying to hatch in Nov/Dec like our first girl did lol

 

[HoneysuckleHomestead618]

I seem to have a broody hen. She is only laying on 2 eggs, and neither one of them are hers. Should I wait a few days to see if she stays there and/or adds any of her own? Or should I just go ahead and take the eggs?

We are 10 days in with this broody hen (I should be a poet, I know ). She has added 3 eggs from one of my other hens. However, I can’t see any veins in the 2 original eggs. All I can see is a big dark spot in both. When I pulled them at 5 or 6 days, I didn’t see veins then either. Is she laying on unfertilized eggs? What do I do?

 

[PrettyBirdRocky]

We are 10 days in with this broody hen (I should be a poet, I know ). She has added 3 eggs from one of my other hens. However, I can’t see any veins in the 2 original eggs. All I can see is a big dark spot in both. When I pulled them at 5 or 6 days, I didn’t see veins then either. Is she laying on unfertilized eggs? What do I do?

You could give her a couple more days in case the eggs aren't at day 10. what color are the eggs? (For ease of seeing veins)

If the first two are fertile and the new ones she has are as well, you would end up with a staggered hatch, and not all mamas accept chicks after her first ones start hatching (generally within 1-3 days, depends on the bird-- i.e. our Mama sat on nest until all hatched which took about 2 days)

Hopefully more advice is given for this as well. Good luck

 

[HoneysuckleHomestead618]

You could give her a couple more days in case the eggs aren't at day 10. what color are the eggs? (For ease of seeing veins)

If the first two are fertile and the new ones she has are as well, you would end up with a staggered hatch, and not all mamas accept chicks after her first ones start hatching (generally within 1-3 days, depends on the bird-- i.e. our Mama sat on nest until all hatched which took about 2 days)

Hopefully more advice is given for this as well. Good luck

One of the eggs is almost a light pink and the others are all a pretty dark brown.

Last time she was broody, she sat on the eggs even after the first few were born. I ended up having to take the rest because none of them were fertile.

I’ll give them a few more days and check again. I just don’t want the poor thing sitting on them and then there not be any babies.

 

[PrettyBirdRocky]

One of the eggs is almost a light pink and the others are all a pretty dark brown.

Last time she was broody, she sat on the eggs even after the first few were born. I ended up having to take the rest because none of them were fertile.

I’ll give them a few more days and check again. I just don’t want the poor thing sitting on them and then there not be any babies.

If they aren't fertile, and you give her long enough, you could try giving her chicks at night.