Broody Wyandotte

[Chrysa]

So grateful to have found you! My husband and I are fairly new to chickens, about a year, we love them and they love us back. They have been giving us their eggs all winter long here in Massachusetts. Lo and behold, about three days ago one of them became broody but NO ROOSTER in the flock. I have been to a door to door mission collecting fertilized eggs (eight so far) expecting some more by the end of the week.. My question is , is there still time or am I doomed? and if I am so lucky and there is time how do I keep the collected eggs safe for her to the time I place them in her care? do they expire? She has been in her nest constantly for three days now and she gets very upset when we go near her.. What Am I to do? please help..

 

[MGG]

So grateful to have found you! My husband and I are fairly new to chickens, about a year, we love them and they love us back. They have been giving us their eggs all winter long here in Massachusetts. Lo and behold, about three days ago one of them became broody but NO ROOSTER in the flock. I have been to a door to door mission collecting fertilized eggs (eight so far) expecting some more by the end of the week.. My question is , is there still time or am I doomed? and if I am so lucky and there is time how do I keep the collected eggs safe for her to the time I place them in her care? do they expire? She has been in her nest constantly for three days now and she gets very upset when we go near her.. What Am I to do? please help..

Welcome to BYC, Chrysa! If you have 8 eggs I think that's plenty for her. How many more were you getting? I think 12 would be the max. To store eggs put them in an egg carton pointy end down in a cool room (50-60°) with pretty high humidity 60+%. Put a book under one end of the carton. The next day out it under the other end. This is to turn them so the yolk doesn't stick to the shell. Turn them once each day by putting the book under the opposite end. You can keep them this way for up to 14 days, but hatchability decreases after day 7. If I were you I'd cancel the ones coming at the end of the week and just put the 8 under her. Otherwise she won't be broody long enough. I hope this helps. Good luck with your broody adventure!

 

[Chrysa]

Welcome to BYC, Chrysa! If you have 8 eggs I think that's plenty for her. How many more were you getting? I think 12 would be the max. To store eggs put them in an egg carton pointy end down in a cool room (50-60°) with pretty high humidity 60+%. Put a book under one end of the carton. The next day out it under the other end. This is to turn them so the yolk doesn't stick to the shell. Turn them once each day by putting the book under the opposite end. You can keep them this way for up to 14 days, but hatchability decreases after day 7. If I were you I'd cancel the ones coming at the end of the week and just put the 8 under her. Otherwise she won't be broody long enough. I hope this helps. Good luck with your broody adventure!

Thank you thank you so much, I just put the 8 eggs under the broody, I am so excited!!! and I will keep you posted or better yet I will tell the world!!!! lol thank you again, have a great day..

 

[MGG]

Thank you thank you so much, I just put the 8 eggs under the broody, I am so excited!!! and I will keep you posted or better yet I will tell the world!!!! lol thank you again, have a great day..

Awesome! I wish one of my hens would go broody, lol. I'll look forward to updates! Good luck! Have a great day too!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Is she brooding with the flock, where other hens can lay eggs in her nest? If so, did you mark the eggs unless you can tell which belong? I use a black Sharpie. Eggs the other hens lay can show up, letting them stay is not a good thing, even of they are not fertile. You need to be able to tell for sure which eggs belong so you can remove any that don't belong.

After all the other hens have laid for the day you need to check under the broody hen and remove any that don't belong. As long as you remove them daily you can still use them.