- May 22, 2010
- 2
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Hello all!
Though this is my first post, I've used this forum as my favorite resource. I love you guys!
I've had 10 RIR hens for a year, that the kids and I got as day old chicks. We are officially obsessed. Once I started finding out about broodies, I was very upset to find out that what I'd ordered was a breed "designed" just to lay a lot of eggs. So we started researching breeds and what we might get next (we are buying a house in the next month or two and our only priority is buying where we can have as many chickens as we want). A week later, one of our ladies went broody!!
We got 15 bantam EE eggs from e-bay, and moved her to a dog crate next to the main coop at night. She growled when I moved her, but settled on the new eggs nicely. I didn't want to move her, but she kept getting kicked out of the favorite nesting box. We keep a close eye on her, and once a day she gets up and makes it clear she wants out after eating and drinking. So we go out and open the crate. She makes a huge fuss, makes a huge poop
and delights in a dust bath. The first time (yesterday), I thought she was going unbroody so after about 5-10 minutes of this I put her back on the eggs, and she settled right back down. Today, we gave her a little more time. After her dust bath, she made another big fuss and poop. She walked near the brooder, so we put her in the door (not on the eggs), and she got back on the eggs herself.
So my first big question is, how long is it ok for her to be off of the eggs??
Day 3 and counting!!
Thanks,
Jana
Though this is my first post, I've used this forum as my favorite resource. I love you guys!
I've had 10 RIR hens for a year, that the kids and I got as day old chicks. We are officially obsessed. Once I started finding out about broodies, I was very upset to find out that what I'd ordered was a breed "designed" just to lay a lot of eggs. So we started researching breeds and what we might get next (we are buying a house in the next month or two and our only priority is buying where we can have as many chickens as we want). A week later, one of our ladies went broody!!
We got 15 bantam EE eggs from e-bay, and moved her to a dog crate next to the main coop at night. She growled when I moved her, but settled on the new eggs nicely. I didn't want to move her, but she kept getting kicked out of the favorite nesting box. We keep a close eye on her, and once a day she gets up and makes it clear she wants out after eating and drinking. So we go out and open the crate. She makes a huge fuss, makes a huge poop
So my first big question is, how long is it ok for her to be off of the eggs??
Day 3 and counting!!
Thanks,
Jana
