Do I have a Broody??? More questions please help..

[mags2009]

I think one of my Barred Rocks is broody. Everytime we check for eggs, she is sitting in a nestbox. Even if there are NO eggs under her!! She lets me take them from under her, but she puffs up, and makes a funny noise. I can't describe it. She doesn't try to peck at me or anything. Could she be sick? Or do you think she is broody. I have some eggs in the incubator right now, I could put them under her, if you think it would work. But the others, would not accept the chicks, right? Please advise, I'm new to all of this! Thank you

 

[Happy Chooks]

Sounds like you might have a broody. Is she on the nest at night? Once she stays on the nest at night, I'd slip her some of the eggs from your bator. (assuming they're not super close to hatch)

 

[jen5680]

Sounds broody to me. You can put the eggs from your bator under her. Jsut make sure and mark them so that if your other hens lay eggs in her box you will no what ones to take out and what ones to leave in with her.

 

[mags2009]

Yes, she is even on the nest right now, as we speak. Should I just try a couple? What happens if they hatch? Will the others accept the chicks?
I will know which ones, because they were shipped. they are different breeds. Should I still try some? or all? i am on day 7 of incubating.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I'd give her 4-6. Is there a way you can section off a part of the coop to keep the others from bothering her and the chicks?

 

[mags2009]

Ok, we just put two under her. I candled, and think I saw some veining in the two that I gave her. I should give her more? Like two more? Can I do it tomorrow? I just put them under her, as she was sitting on one egg for two days. My husband took it from her, and I shooed her out of the nestbox, but about 15 min. later, she was back up there, sitting on NOTHING!!! Will she accept the eggs that I just put under her? Can she feel them right away, and she will turn them? Thanks! This is exciting!!

 

[Happy Chooks]

I haven't had a broody yet, but I've read loads on it hoping for one.

I'd give her a couple more eggs (tomorrow will be fine, they're in the incubator so they'll all be at the same point in incubation). If they end up with blood rings or quit for whatever reason, you don't want to end up with no babies and a hen still broody. So I'd give her more to avoid this and/or a lone chick. Make sure you mark the eggs though, or the others will sneak their eggs in and you'll have a mess of eggs with different hatch dates. It doesn't matter what eggs they are, she'll hatch them like her own.

 

[mags2009]

ok, I will give her a few more tomorrow. I only have 12 altogether, they were shipped. We don't have a roo, so I don't have to worry about the other's eggs. Hopefully she will be happy with these. If any aren't viable, will she know, and kick them out of the nest or anything? If they go bad, what happens?

 

[Tiss]

I've thought of having a broody hatch some eggs for me. How many can I put under her? It would stink to have to buy a dozen and then only get to hatch 4. I don't have an incubator and really wanted a mama to do it so the little ones are accepted into the flock.

 

[mags2009]

maybe I should just put ALL of them under her. I hatched 10 out of 20 shipped eggs a month ago, two of them were not the breed I asked for, so the breeder sent me twelve more. It's really ironic that I got more to hatch, and now she's broody. Otherwise, I would have nothing for her!!! Should I just put ALL of the eggs under her? We were just going to give away all but 2 if they turned out to be hens anyway... Would she mind having 12 under her?