Chickens helping each other keep the eggs warm?

[RichnSteph]

One of our Black Australorps has decided to start sitting on eggs. She started last week and at first I moved her off the nest and collected the eggs from her, 8-12 at a time. Since she's seemed to be serious about it we've left her alone and now she's sitting on I don't know how many eggs but she's been in the nest almost constantly for the last 3 days. The times when she's off the nest eating or drinking I've been sneaking out to look at the eggs and each time another chicken is sitting in the nest. Do chickens help each other out with keeping the eggs warm? Since this has started I've not found a single egg anywhere else so she could be sitting on upwards of 30 eggs. She is rather large.

RichnSteph

 

[Den in Penn]

Most likely the others are laying more eggs to add to the clutch. Not a good idea. The more eggs there are the harder it is for the hen to keep them all incubating right. Then there is the staggered hatch of the eggs added later. That can lead to the hen leaving the nest too soon for the later eggs or too late for the first hatched. If you can move her to a nest where it is protected from others adding on. A cage in the coop would work I often have partitioned off a corned of the coop for a broody. Another way is to mark the eggs you want her to hatch and keep removing the new eggs.

 

[RichnSteph]

Most likely the others are laying more eggs to add to the clutch. Not a good idea. The more eggs there are the harder it is for the hen to keep them all incubating right. Then there is the staggered hatch of the eggs added later. That can lead to the hen leaving the nest too soon for the later eggs or too late for the first hatched. If you can move her to a nest where it is protected from others adding on. A cage in the coop would work I often have partitioned off a corned of the coop for a broody. Another way is to mark the eggs you want her to hatch and keep removing the new eggs.

Thanks for the information! I'll take a pencil and mark a few of the eggs that are in there and just let her keep those. Is there a good number to leave?

RichnSteph

 

[Den in Penn]

Depending on conditions a LF hen can handle up to 18 eggs. I had one just come off the nest with 11 out of 15. She hid the nest and I didn't find it in time to reduce the number. A good number is how many you want, sort off. How much space do you have for the new comers all grown up? How many do you need? I didn't need 11 new chickens, but remember, it's 50/50 pullets to cockerels.

 

[Mrs. K]

I get much better hatching rates if I keep it below 12 eggs. I have a fair size BO who has been my broody hen for a couple of years. I am praying she goes soon.

 

[RichnSteph]

I checked her tonight and left her with 8 eggs. Is it ok to just let her brood them and raise them with the rest of the flock or do we need to try and put her into her own area with a chick proof fence? I'd love to have chicks running in the yard with the rest of the flock as my daughter would enjoy seeing them.

 

[Den in Penn]

I let my broody raise her chicks with the flock. It is the best way to integrate them with the flock. Plus you see behaviors you don't see if it is just the brood by its self. Try to be on hand in when they hatch especially if it is the first time the flock has seen chicks. If all goes to plan, the flock will be curious and maybe peck or try to peck at the chicks. If the broody mom is doing her job that attempt is all they will get. Once a flock has experience with chicks it is way different. I have seen day olds wander far from mom and the flock mainly ignores them. As I like to remind. Chickens have been raising their young with their flock for a long time.

 

[RichnSteph]

I let my broody raise her chicks with the flock. It is the best way to integrate them with the flock. Plus you see behaviors you don't see if it is just the brood by its self. Try to be on hand in when they hatch especially if it is the first time the flock has seen chicks. If all goes to plan, the flock will be curious and maybe peck or try to peck at the chicks. If the broody mom is doing her job that attempt is all they will get. Once a flock has experience with chicks it is way different. I have seen day olds wander far from mom and the flock mainly ignores them. As I like to remind. Chickens have been raising their young with their flock for a long time.

Thank you for the information! I'll let her be and see how things go.

RichnSteph

 

[aart]

Another way to do it is to partition off part of the coop with a temporary wire wall, with food and water for broody and enough room to get up and stretch her legs and poop.
That way others won't be disrupting the nest and laying in it.
Then after the chicks are a day or 3 old, take down the wall and she will integrate them.

Worked good for me but had to give her a half day to settle onto the new nest in the partition before giving her fresh fertile eggs.

Just another option...Best of cLuck!

 

[RichnSteph]

So far she's still sitting. A new problem has come up. In the other nest box is a second hen that has decided to sit on eggs so now both nesting boxes are occupied. I've put a bucket on the floor of the coop with some bedding and an egg in it. If someone goes broody in there I'm just going to give up on having eggs for the next month.