Broody pullet: let her brood or break her?

[PioneerChicks]

So...my pullet went broody. I'll go into her backstory first.

Heather is a OEGB/silkie mix. She was raised by a silkie and is very wild. That would be a disadvantage: her chicks would be even more wild.

She went broody yesterday and I found her a few minutes ago under the coop in her hidden nest. I didn't know she was laying yet, but I guess she has been stashing her eggs with my OEGB hen. I don't know how many eggs there are, I can check tomorrow morning.

Around here it typically starts to cool down after Labor Day (I am in Idaho, potatos rock!). The chicks would hatch around the 22nd. They won't be fully feathered for six weeks after that. But I suppose mama hen will take care of her chicks?

Heather is under the coop, where it is about 3 inches high. About a foot from the nearest edge. I could grab her, but it wouldn't be easy.

I don't really have a place to move her too at the moment. We don't have many predators, and this hen isn't too valuable to my flock (I was planning on rehoming her soon anyways). I don't really want a whole flock of tiny chickens under my coop but because I don't have another place to put her, and she is remotely safe, this is actually probably the best place for her. They will probably end up being as wild as Junglefowl but I could just re-home them.

So let's say moving her isn't an option. Her chicks will be interesting, probably pure OEGBs and OEGB/silkie hybrids.

Should I let her brood or try to break her? Now or never.

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

Yes, I have space because I am re-homing a lot of my chickens.

I'd let her hatch then. As long as you aren't going to be getting any snow before they are fully feathered out, I wouldn't worry. The hens take care of the heat. Just provide food, water, and make sure nothing can get to her.

 

[Mrs. K]

Less is more likely to hatch than too many. Mark the eggs, as the EE will keep slipping her eggs, and if she gets too many eggs, the outside ones die, and then a hen rearranges them and the outside ones die and pretty soon it is a no hatch situation.

I had a BO hatch out four chicks, 2 weeks later in November we hand an unnatural cold spell where it dropped to -20 degrees, I nearly pulled the chicks, but they were doing fine, and made great chickens.

Mrs K

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

@SoftSilkie make sure that you only put as many eggs under her as she can handle. Too many and you end up with half incubated eggs like @Mrs. K said.

I'd try for maybe half a dozen. 8 if she's a bigger girl.

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

Do you have space for more chickens?

 

[PioneerChicks]

I'd let her hatch then. As long as you aren't going to be getting any snow before they are fully feathered out, I wouldn't worry. The hens take care of the heat. Just provide food, water, and make sure nothing can get to her.

Thank you! We shouldn't get any snow until halfway through December.
I can't guarantee nothing will get her, but it is unlikely. Once her chicks hatch I will probably try to move them into the coop.

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

Thank you! We shouldn't get any snow until halfway through December.
I can't guarantee nothing will get her, but it is unlikely. Once her chicks hatch I will probably try to move them into the coop.

How many eggs is she sitting on?

 

[PioneerChicks]

How many eggs is she sitting on?

I don't know, but I can check tomorrow morning when she gets off the eggs. Heather is bigger than a game bantam, but smaller than a silkie. Hard-feathered. I don't think she could manage much more than half a dozen.

 

[aart]

I'd break her and block off that area.
Easy access to a broody nest is important, IMO.

 

[PioneerChicks]

Less is more likely to hatch than too many. Mark the eggs, as the EE will keep slipping her eggs, and if she gets too many eggs, the outside ones die, and then a hen rearranges them and the outside ones die and pretty soon it is a no hatch situation.

I had a BO hatch out four chicks, 2 weeks later in November we hand an unnatural cold spell where it dropped to -20 degrees, I nearly pulled the chicks, but they were doing fine, and made great chickens.

Mrs K

I did not know that about the outside eggs dying then being rearranged. Very interesting. Thank you!