Dh wants us to let our broody become a Mom....HELP! I don't have a rooster, so will need to get eggs

[countrycakelady]

Our broody girl is just insistent on becoming a Mom.....dh has talked me to letting her sit on some eggs....I am thinking 2......I have 8 that are almost 3 months old, and 14 big girls....this is a first for me! Please enlighten me as to what I need to do for her...she is staying in her nest box ALL THE TIME....sitting on ZERO....she has stopped laying entirely, so I know she's serious, lol.......Do I need to let her stay in the coop? Does she need her own quarters? Clueless here........

 

[LRH97]

I always move my broodies. Something like an old dog crate or medium/large pet carrier will work. Keep it simple.

Moving them lets the soon-to-be momma hatch her eggs in peace, without possibly getting shoved out of the nesting box by another bird. It also keeps the babies safe from potentially aggressive birds. I would say get a few more than two eggs, maybe like six. There's always that chance that the roo hasn't fertilized that one hen or an embryo may die during the incubation process. Then all the devotion of the hen, and the hopes for babies all goes "POOF" if neither of them hatch. Letting a hen incubate and care for chicks is the easiest and most entertaining way of raising babies (to me anyway!). It is a truly enjoyable experience. Best of luck!

 

[countrycakelady]

I don't want to get too many, simply because my coop is almost at MAX CAPACITY with what I have now.....I don't have but so much room.....

 

[LRH97]

I don't want to get too many, simply because my coop is almost at MAX CAPACITY with what I have now.....I don't have but so much room.....

That's understandable. I just always prepare ahead for a couple not to hatch.