Day #2 of a loooonnnnnnggggg 21 days.....

[amynbrent]

Well my hen seemed to get attached to one egg and I didnt have the heart to take it from her. We are on day two and so far so good. I am new to chickens this spring and I got a pair of D'Uccles from a freind that are a year old. Lilley has already hatched some before I got her so she's a pro. I just dont know what to do with this little guy when he comes. I have 40 9 weekers right now. If they kill it I would just die. I plan on seperating her soon and giving her her own cage but introducing this baby into the flock later on I'm afraid of what will happen. Well this is a whole new experience for us!

 

[justtoni44]

HI, Any chance you can let her have a few more eggs???????????? so the new one can have a companion......

Are you planning to let Mom raise the baby?????
Perhaps that is what you meant.. I'm a little confused but also working on my first cup of coffee..........

How the chick is intrduced depends.....I am sure you did not mean to add it to the other chicks when it hatches.......
It would not make it.............
Anyway, a little more information would be helpful to give you better information.
How exciting for you........
Good Luck and have fun

 

[amynbrent]

I should clarify more...lol

I meant to say I'm going to let the mom raise the baby but when the baby is bigger introducing it to the rest. I need to learn everything I can, how long to keep mom and baby together. When can I intorduce it to the rest. I will let her hatch as many as she wants but she hasnt layed anymore since sitting on this one. I do have another hen laying, can she sit on those? It's the same breed if that matters. I was not ready to try this until next spring but for some reason she wanted this one egg.

 

[justtoni44]

Funny how they can mess up our best plans...

Heres the deal.
Yes, you can add the other hens eggs....Your broody will not care who's eggs they are.

As far as intigration,it just depends, I am certain you will recieve a variety of ideas and experiences from other folks.
My experience is this...
I seperate my broody while sitting......
I let her join the flock again when the chicks are about 1 week old..........
Mom will protect the little ones.they will run under her if she calls them or they are frightened.
Maybe I have just been lucky, but I have never had a problem with the older chickens bothering the babies.
Intigration just happens natually this way.
I am not familiar with your breed..........except to know they are beautiful.

I had 5 hens hatch chicks within days of each other last year........they all knew who Mom was ( ran to the right hen)
All got to the right Mom at bed time........

Hope you get more input because I do not know how long you can add eggs..................
I have always been in a situtation that i had the eggs to put under her all at once....

Keep us informed about your hatch.It will be fun,
Toni

 

[amynbrent]

Thanks, like I said this whole chicken thing is new for me. I cant believe I'm trying to hatch one now! I am so nervous about the introducing them thing. I have 6 silkies that I just happened to inherit. Every time my friend visits one or two just end up in my coop

They are all from 5 weeks to about 9 weeks. All get along toghether. They are in a big cage in the coop, I finally let them out over the weekend and most did just fine...in the coop, in the run was another problem. My chickens singled out two of them and cornered them and were going nuts on them. It was scary, I rescued them and in the cage they all went. I want them out so the mom and egg can go in there!

 

[rosiethechicken]

I went through this recently. First time hatching with a broody.
From my (bad) experience, here I what I am trying to differently

1. Give her more than one egg. Luky if you get 100% healthy hatch, otherwise ....
2. Separate her from others now and give her protected area. Many times other hens kicked my broody out and eggs got cold.
3. Make sure other chicken cannot reach the broody or the chicks for first few days. My broody hatched in the coop and I suspect other hens killed the new chicks.