broody, should I? when? how?

[SuziQ991]

Ok, I am on here day and night and I read about everyone and their broody's. I have been so jealous! Well today my BLRW stayed on her nest all day and is in there tonight. OMG I am so excited! I know it is only one (half) day ....but still. So I know I want chicks and I know which kind I want and cottagegarden has an auction right now for exactly what I want. It ends in 13 hours. Should I wait to see if my hen will stay on her nest? This is her first time acting broody. How long do I wait? I don't have a incubator, of course I could get one but I really wanted my hens to hatch them. Here are some more questions, so sorry but I am excited and I want to know what to do

1. If she stays broody and I order eggs do I have to let them "rest" like you do when you put them in an incubator?

2. Do I put the new eggs under her at night?

3. How many eggs can a hen sit on?

4. Do you think buying eggs on auction for a broody hen to sit on is a good idea?

Please my trusted friends, Help me.

 

[SuziQ991]

Aww come on guys, the countdown on the auction is near the end. Please give me some pointers!!

 

[CorralitosSunflower]

I would wait before buying the eggs. First time broody's can be very wish-washy and they need to commit before you spend money on eggs for them. I have had broody chickens before, right now I am dealing with my first time broody duck. I would leave just regular old unfertilized eggs in the nest for her to commit to, once you know she is settled down good and hard, than put the fertile eggs under her. She will wait until the eggs are hatched, even if she has been sitting for much longer than 21 days. As far as the special eggs you want, try contacting the seller and them know what is going on, I am sure they will be willing to sell some more eggs when you are ready to buy them!

 

[SuziQ991]

Thanks so much Nayana. I actually just sent a PM asking if she would have other eggs in the future. What would be a good time to wait to see if she is commited? About 5 days to a week?

 

[baltimoreharps]

Quote:
What she said!

I have one first time broody/half commited broody that keeps changing up her egg spot in the nests with the other 3 broodies, so I am waiting on her to make her mind up.

She's tried once before to go broody and I had to break her in the middle of January.
Now, she can't make up her little mind up on what eggs she wants to sit on and keeps going from her original clutch that I marked for her a few days ago, to the ones that the other girls are going into lockdown on with not leaving the nest for the next few days....and now I have one going broody big time today that is stealing every egg that she can get.

Now if my cochin could make up her mind.....

Definately wait to make sure she is broody, then get those eggs and go for it!

 

[SuziQ991]

baltimoreharps thanks for the info. Its just that I have been waiting soooo long LOL! Can you tell I am overly excited??

 

[baltimoreharps]

Quote:
It NEVER gets old with the broodies!!

Even with my daffy cochin, I know that she's at least half serious because all of her breast feathers are gone. She just cannot figure out where HER eggs are, even though they are in the same place every...single.. time.
She without fail, will go and crowd the nestbox with the two that are in lockdown. Goofy bird.

Give yours time, even though it's SO hard to wait! Make sure that she's going to sit, give her eggs that you have or golf balls. If she's going to be broody, she's going to sit on those.
With shipped eggs, yes, you do have to let those rest after getting them and unpacking.
I just can't remember if it's pointy end up or down for that rest period. I've only done that once and that was last year when I was very new to chickens at all. Hopefully, someone else can help you out with this question or do a search on the blue bar up at the top of the page that starts with Index, User list, etc. Much better than the google search, love that handy feature here at BYC!

Would I order hatching eggs again? No question, YES! But, I'd only order from people that I've dealt with personally here, or some wonderful people I've met through BYC. One thing in the year plus I've learned is that if you can't hatch it now, there are other broodies to come and a little more time to plan...now if my girls wouldn't go broody so fast.....

Best of luck and great to meet you.

*Edited for excessive commas and for spelling, yes, I DO think I'm tired and should hush now. *

 

[HathawayHens]

OOOOOooh! I didn't even think of this!!!

Maybe if my BO chick really is a hen, she will go broody next year and I can hatch some eggs, too!

How exciting!