Broody?

[Birdsong 82]

Is that your only coop or an 'extra'?
Sounds like a perfect broody coop.

It’s an extra We have a 8x12 for our actual.

 

[CindyinSD]

It’s an extra We have a 8x12 for our actual.

If you want her to set, a special coop just for her and the nest would be lovely. You want to make sure the other hens don’t add to her eggs (or eat them of course) once she starts incubating. Otherwise she may be sitting on eggs with widely varying hatch times. If you want some control, you could replace the eggs she has with marked ones, all about the same age. Do it when she goes out to eat & etc.

Some people candle the eggs 7-10 days in to make sure they’re all fertile & developing. That’s a nighttime activity, of course. That way you can remove damaged or clear ones. They may not all hatch, so be aware. If you want four, maybe set an extra one or two. You can surely find someone to infect with any extraneous chickens you end up with. The world needs more crazy chicken gentlefolk, after all.

 

[aart]

It’s an extra We have a 8x12 for our actual.

I'd set her up in there...does it have a little run attached too?
Would love to see pics!

 

[Farmgirl1878]

My ten-month old Blue Cochin is broody right now too... I’m debating whether or not to let her set as I’d love to see the yardbirds that my BLRW cockerel throws!!

Seriously tho, I’m at capacity in terms of space (14 pullets/young hens and 1 cockerel). This is my first flock and everyone is healthy. The two RIRs and a couple of the Wyandottes are semi-bullies... no blood drawn, but lots of feather pulling and moments of stress. I almost want to get rid of some of the year old Wyandottes and the two RIRs. If I do, should I wait to get rid of them until the chicks are older to keep my cockerel happy? Advice?

 

[aart]

I almost want to get rid of some of the year old Wyandottes and the two RIRs. If I do, should I wait to get rid of them until the chicks are older to keep my cockerel happy? Advice?

I'd sell them now when they are in lay ans way before they molt.
If your cockbird is a good one, he'll be fine with fewer girls.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

He’s good, but he’s pretty much a horn dog! Wish me luck...

 

[Birdsong 82]

Well update since I disappeared from the thread for a bit. I ended up working 5am to 9 pm shift for 2 weeks so it was dark every time I was home. My husband and daughter tried (very pathetically) to block her off with netting Didn’t work for to long Saturday morning I noticed this. Figured I’d fix it when the other 2 were done and left. There still in there! Really? 3?

 

[Farmgirl1878]

I’ve got two that are broody now... My blue Cochin and one of my GLW went broody on the 2nd of May. I’ve been candling and it looks like the eggs are developing. Blue has one that looks like it’s right on schedule and Goldie has three, maybe four. (They’re each sitting on six or seven eggs total.) I’m guessing that Blue’s eggs aren’t developing as they should because the other girls keep kicking her out of that nest box because they want to use it. SMH, it’s not like there aren’t four other boxes that aren’t occupied...