First time having a broody, getting eggs. Advise welcome!

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Well, my bantam brahmas were never awesome layers. Sporadic would be the best description. So when the egg count dipped again I didn't think anything of it. Then I noticed Summer wasnt out and about in the run. I spotted her puffed up and trying to brood a cluch of what turned put to be eight eggs! She is in the far corner of the coop, not in a nest box. Currently she only has one nestmate, Snowi her 'sister'(bought from the same breeder at the same time but she is a light brahma to Summer's buff). The coop is 4'x4' with pine shaving on a wood floor. I have already ordered some fertile D'Anver eggs. They should arrive by Thursday.

I tried to find others with similar stories on here but I mostly came up with people trying to stop their broodies from brooding or people trying to verify that they are broody.

Any advise on how to proceed with this would be appreciated! Thanks!

Specific questions I have,

Do I need to move her into a dog crate or something?
Do I need to take any specific precautions swapping the eggs?
How likely is Snowi to go broody now that Summer is broody?
Do I need to do anything different in the coop when the chicks hatch? The coop is about two feet off the ground so the coop door will have to stay closed for a while to avoid accidents, but for how long?

 

[karlamaria]

Well, my bantam brahmas were never awesome layers. Sporadic would be the best description. So when the egg count dipped again I didn't think anything of it. Then I noticed Summer wasnt out and about in the run. I spotted her puffed up and trying to brood a cluch of what turned put to be eight eggs! She is in the far corner of the coop, not in a nest box. Currently she only has one nestmate, Snowi her 'sister'(bought from the same breeder at the same time but she is a light brahma to Summer's buff). The coop is 4'x4' with pine shaving on a wood floor. I have already ordered some fertile D'Anver eggs. They should arrive by Thursday.
I tried to find others with similar stories on here but I mostly came up with people trying to stop their broodies from brooding or people trying to verify that they are broody.
Any advise on how to proceed with this would be appreciated! Thanks!
Specific questions I have,
Do I need to move her into a dog crate or something?

best done at night
How likely is Snowi to go broody now that Summer is broody?

not sure, is she sticking to her side like glue? if so then she might go broody also.
Do I need to do anything different in the coop when the chicks hatch? The coop is about two feet off the ground so the coop door will have to stay closed for a while to avoid accidents, but for how long?

if she is in a crate and its warm out leave her and the eggs in the pen where she can go in and out and drink and eat. she will go back to the eggs pretty fast.
I put my girl in a hutch, moved her into a hutch with a box, shavings and then her eggs, put her in and closed her up for a day, then I took her out every day to poop and eat. of course she was in the front porch of my home so I have to manually take her out, but it was cold then, you could leave her in the pen with a crate or hutch now as its warm out. leave the door open after a day or two and she is used to it. then she can come go and poo on her own. when the chicks hatch she will care for them right there and keep other chickens away .

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Great advise, thanks!

And I caught Snowi pritty much sitting on her yesterday. She goes out into the yard but keeps going back to snuggle up with Summer. She may just be lonely without her buddy. They are the only two in that coop at the moment.

 

[Den in Penn]

If you keep them together and Snowi is still laying, make sure to mark the eggs want to hatch, so you don't take the wrong ones away. Bantams can cover only so many eggs.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Penn- Definantly. About half the eggs she has now are Snowi's donations. I may even be able to tell by color alone. The eggs I am getting are described as 'tinted' and both girls lay a light brown. But we will see when they arrive.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Ok, updates. Summer is now in a medium dog crate in the coop, same spot she laid the eggs. I swapped the duds she was sitting on for the 14 D'Anver eggs, she rejected two which are now in the cheapest little bator ever made. Everything is going good so far. . I will candle in 10 days, toss the duds and if either of the two in the bator are still good I will swap those back in. . I love it when a plan comes together.