First time broody questions

[aim4balance]

Hi there, I have my first broody chicken, she started being broody about 5 days ago now. I heard back from my farmer friend that I can come and get some fertilized eggs from her (we don't have a rooster). The problem is that if we get them today, in 20 days from now (estimated hatching time) we had a trip planned to be on vacation at the beach! I could wait 1 more week to pick up the fertilized eggs then we would definitely be home in plenty of time for the hatching. But since I haven't had a broody chicken before, I wasn't sure if she would continue to be broody and sit on eggs for that long (would be almost 30 days by that point) if I waited a week from now to pick up fertilized eggs.

Or any other suggestions you have for a timeline for hatching. If she is broody now does that mean she'll do it again? I only have a small flock (7 chickens) and I've had them for a few years, and this is only the first time one of them has gone broody.

Thanks for the help!!

 

[Pork Pie]

You can leave her for another week before giving her eggs. As this is her first time being broody there are no guarantees, but you'll never know unless you try. She is likely to go broody again, but when is a different issue.
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