Don't touch my egg lol!!!

[tmarr]

Jeez I went out with my daughter earlier to check 'Spot' one of our ex-battery hens as she'd seen her lay an egg (her first since we got her). Well the fun we had trying to get it off her! I've never seen a hen move so fast lol!!! She wasn't sitting on it or anything but as soon as we went near she went nuts (she's usually the quiet one!!) Does this mean she's getting broody?!!!!

 

[Bailey1204]

Yes, it probably means she's going broody. Not sure if you want her to be or not. But to keep her broody so she'll incubate eggs you can encourage incubating by putting fake eggs in her nest and not removing all her eggs. Ducks/chickens won't incubate until they have a full clutch of eggs (8-12 eggs.) If you want to break the cycle you'll have to force her to stop. This website gives tips on breaking broodiness (works for ducks and chickens, I've tried it) you an also force her to molt.
http://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2012/01/so-youve-got-broody-hen.html

 

[donrae]

Not if she wasn't setting on it.

 

[tmarr]

Yes, it probably means she's going broody. Not sure if you want her to be or not. But to keep her broody so she'll incubate eggs you can encourage incubating by putting fake eggs in her nest and not removing all her eggs. Ducks/chickens won't incubate until they have a full clutch of eggs (8-12 eggs.) If you want to break the cycle you'll have to force her to stop. This website gives tips on breaking broodiness (works for ducks and chickens, I've tried it) you an also force her to molt.
http://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2012/01/so-youve-got-broody-hen.html

Thanks! Didn't realise they waited until they had a 'clutch' off eggs. I don't have a rooster but eventually would love to see if they could hatch some. I'll read more about it but if I did buy fertilized eggs is there a chance she would sit on them?

 

[donrae]

If you're wanting to hatch eggs, wait until she's truly decided to set before you get fertile eggs.

You can tempt a hen to set by allowing a clutch of 8 or so eggs to be in the nest. Some folks designate sacrifice eggs to use for this if you have plenty. some folks use fake eggs or golf balls. In my experience, the key is to wait until the hen spends two nights in a row on the nest, that's when she's quit messing around and usually made up her mind (at this point she's also spending all day on the nest). Remove the bait and replace with the fertile eggs you want her to hatch. if she's where other hens have access to the nest, be sure to mark the desired hatching eggs with a sharpie so you can easily spot any extra eggs donated by other hens---you'll want to pull those out every day.

 

[tmarr]

If you're wanting to hatch eggs, wait until she's truly decided to set before you get fertile eggs.

You can tempt a hen to set by allowing a clutch of 8 or so eggs to be in the nest. Some folks designate sacrifice eggs to use for this if you have plenty. some folks use fake eggs or golf balls. In my experience, the key is to wait until the hen spends two nights in a row on the nest, that's when she's quit messing around and usually made up her mind (at this point she's also spending all day on the nest). Remove the bait and replace with the fertile eggs you want her to hatch. if she's where other hens have access to the nest, be sure to mark the desired hatching eggs with a sharpie so you can easily spot any extra eggs donated by other hens---you'll want to pull those out every day.

That's great thanks! A bit random but would she sit on duck eggs?!