Broody hens in the snow!

[Mya05]

I've seen relatively small hens cover an obnoxious number of eggs and I've seen large ones barely manage a few. I think some of it comes down to how well they contort themselves.

Now - Here's the thing about too many eggs. She will move all those eggs around the nest multiple times a day.

If there are any that aren't properly covered - if you can see the eggs while she's on the nest - I would take a couple out. If you boot her from the nest for her poop/eat/drink break, feel and make sure each egg is warm. If any are cold, there are too many.

Reason being - because each egg gets moved, each egg will end up in the cold spot which could in turn kill embryo after embryo after embryo.

If they're all the same temperature when you take her off, things should go fine.

This reminded me of my Silkie, Stormy. She flattened herself, and spread out her wings, to cover 9 eggs! She is the only Silkie we have. Obviously, she couldn't keep all the eggs warm, to successfully hatch them. She was so cute and determined though!

 

[Lovesumchicks]

They are great! We got her as a rescue, and now I want more I was worried about our flock bulling her, but then I saw her defend herself she jumped on the offending hen's back, and gave her several pecks until the hen ran away Stormy is adorable, and doesn't take crap from any of our hens. She also decided she wanted our lead cockerel, Omen, to mate her. He is a Black Australorp, and quite a bit bigger than our other cockerel. I really don't think they will successfully mate, but it's funny to see her chase off another hen, so Omen will mate her instead

I love spunky attitudes that's good that she stands her own. I have 1 hen that is the opposite and refuses to let my rooster mate her so he pinpoints her all the time but he never manages to get the job done she is too fast for him.

 

[Mya05]

That's funny you say that because mine Is a RIR as well.

They do seem to be known for their attitude!

 

[Lovesumchicks]

My little girl

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Using a heat lamp wasn't the cause of her going broody. I've broken a broody twice this year. Once in Dec and once in Jan. They don't get extra heat. In 2020 she went broody five times, broke her three times and let her hatch twice. A broody's gonna broody.

 

[centrarchid]

She is a pretty girl. Thanks for the information. Now I don't have to worry about her being cold.

Heat application can be important in preventing eggs from freezing prior to start of incubation. My hen above got lucky in having about two weeks of good weather as her clutch was being laid. A dominique hen parasitized her nest adding additional eggs during the same interval.

 

[Lovesumchicks]

Using a heat lamp wasn't the cause of her going broody. I've broken a broody twice this year. Once in Dec and once in Jan. They don't get extra heat. In 2020 she went broody five times, broke her three times and let her hatch twice. A broody's gonna broody.

Woah that is alot of broodiness in one bird.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Woah that is alot of broodiness in one bird.

Yes! We find her endearing but also exhausting.

 

[Lovesumchicks]

Heat application can be important in preventing eggs from freezing prior to start of incubation. My hen above got lucky in having about two weeks of good weather as her clutch was being laid. A dominique hen parasitized her nest adding additional eggs during the same interval.

She just got up to go get a big poop out. She actually had 12 eggs and 2 were busted all over the other eggs. They were very warm so she is doing good.

 

[Lovesumchicks]

Yes! We find her endearing but also exhausting.

Yes she is a determined one!