First Time with Broody- some questions

[Hufflefluff]

Hiya!
So, due to an unforeseen fortunate (?) turn of events, yesterday my friend gave me some fertile (?) eggs to set under my broody hen. I went ahead and popped them under her last night, not really thinking about it, but this morning I realized I have some questions and concerns about the whole process that I should have maybe thought through beforehand. So, ah, here we go? Any help at all from more experienced hatchers is appreciated

1) Are the eggs I'm using even fertile?
- My friend dispatched her rooster last weekend, and I'm using the four eggs she collected from her hens yesterday. He was a healthy two or three year old room, and from the looks of the hens was very, ah, virile, but I'm not sure if the eggs could still be fertilized.

2) Is my hen really broody?
- My only broody at the moment is my three year old Buff Orp, who has gone broody many, many times in the past, although she's never hatched chicks before (we've broke her of it every time, although we did give her a store bought chick once.) She's generally very persistent, I'm just a little worried because she's been broody at least three or four days, and we've been trying to break her of it the past two by taking her off the nest and the like. She still sleeps on her nest and won't get off, but I'm worried she might abandon it??? Also, she doesn't puff up at us; she might be just starting to go broody, be just wanting to lie down all day in a secluded nest (?????), or just confused??? We're planning to leave her alone from here on out, I'm just concerned.

3) Is where she's sitting okay?
-She's in our garden shed, on top of an open bag of wood shavings about eight inches from the ground. We've had zero luck in the past moving her, so I just let her stay there (we can close it up at night,) but will the draftiness, nooks to hide in, and distance be a problem if the chicks hatch? I guess I could always move her then but... I worry

4) Is there anything else I need to know or do?
-absolutely anything you guys know or can tell me would be appreciated.

Thanks for reading all this!

 

[User395221]

I've hatched one lot of chicks so I've no great experience. The only thing I can suggest is to relax. I worried about this, I worried about that, and none of my worry made any difference to the process.

As for knowing whether the eggs are fertile, do you know about candling? That's how you can tell if there's anybody in there.

As for where she is, can you block off any dangerous nooks or crannies? If there isn't anywhere really that dangerous, I'd tend to leave her be. The chicks go in under mum, they don't maraud about until they are much older. I was worried that the babies would fall out of the coop (it's raised), but they were fine.

Can you put a brooding box in there? She might not want to be moved somewhere else, but she might make use of it if you provide it.

 

[MillersFarm]

1
The semen is viable for up to three weeks after copulation, so the hen will lay fertilized eggs for up to three weeks after mating. So i think you're good.

2
I normally would have waited about a week before allowing the broody to set but as long as shes brooding on them i think you're fine.

3
Where she is sitting seems fine. Just make sure shes in a dark place that isnt damp. Maybe put her in a crate with a towel over the crate for more privacy


4
Make sure that she is is able to get out and eat/drink at least twice a day.

 

[Beer can]

The eggs should still be fertile, takes more than a week, I think the recommendation is three weeks when changing roosters for breeding.
Location of broody sounds ok, they do better in a quiet place away from the flock.
It's a crapshoot with broodies some do great some are just posers.
Sounds like you don't have much to loose, let her try it out for a few weeks, if nothing hatches I usually wait 4-5 days even a week longer than the 21days it takes to hatch, and carefully remove eggs, very carefully. They sometimes EXPLODE!

Good luck!

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

When my broodies sit up high on something I leave them alone until all eggs are hatched. Then I move them down to a nest on the floor with adjacent feed and water so that they can begin mixing with the flock immediately. My broodies have their chicks walking around outside the coop on day 2.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

4) Is there anything else I need to know or do?-absolutely anything you guys know or can tell me would be appreciated.

Mark each egg with something indelible with the date they were put under the hen, because other hens like to lay eggs in a broody's nest. Check number of eggs each day and remove unmarked eggs.

Interact with the broody because it is a great time to get closer to them. I rub their throats and waddles and tell them what a good job they're doing. I bring them special treats to eat.

Above all, don't worry. You will be amazed how the broody will take care of everything.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hiya!
So, due to an unforeseen fortunate (?) turn of events, yesterday my friend gave me some fertile (?) eggs to set under my broody hen. I went ahead and popped them under her last night, not really thinking about it, but this morning I realized I have some questions and concerns about the whole process that I should have maybe thought through beforehand. So, ah, here we go? Any help at all from more experienced hatchers is appreciated

1) Are the eggs I'm using even fertile?
- My friend dispatched her rooster last weekend, and I'm using the four eggs she collected from her hens yesterday. He was a healthy two or three year old room, and from the looks of the hens was very, ah, virile, but I'm not sure if the eggs could still be fertilized.

2) Is my hen really broody?
- My only broody at the moment is my three year old Buff Orp, who has gone broody many, many times in the past, although she's never hatched chicks before (we've broke her of it every time, although we did give her a store bought chick once.) She's generally very persistent, I'm just a little worried because she's been broody at least three or four days, and we've been trying to break her of it the past two by taking her off the nest and the like. She still sleeps on her nest and won't get off, but I'm worried she might abandon it??? Also, she doesn't puff up at us; she might be just starting to go broody, be just wanting to lie down all day in a secluded nest (?????), or just confused??? We're planning to leave her alone from here on out, I'm just concerned.

3) Is where she's sitting okay?
-She's in our garden shed, on top of an open bag of wood shavings about eight inches from the ground. We've had zero luck in the past moving her, so I just let her stay there (we can close it up at night,) but will the draftiness, nooks to hide in, and distance be a problem if the chicks hatch? I guess I could always move her then but... I worry

4) Is there anything else I need to know or do?
-absolutely anything you guys know or can tell me would be appreciated.

Thanks for reading all this!

Hi, hope you are enjoying BYC so far!

Others have already answered correctly that eggs CAN be viable for a good two weeks, up to 3.

Yes, your hen sounds broody. Mine don't get real cranky in the first few days. But as it gets closer, they definitely change. Start clucking, puffing up, and squealing at flock members that get close.

I would mark the eggs with a sharpie, and check daily that no hens have laid new eggs in her nest. remove them if you find any. I used pencil but it rubs off to much to see. I personally might have tried to set more since they don't usually all hatch. but I wouldn't try to set anymore now. If she raised chicks before she will probably be fine. My biggest issue is other hens laying in a broody's nest. Each hen will be different... I have zero success moving my hens while they are sitting. But if I do it when the chicks hatch or get adopted under her, they USUALLY stay. Draftiness and your shed location shouldn't be a problem as long as the eggs don't get knocked off and broken. Simply booting a determined hen will NOT break her! I've had a girl in an elevated wire bottom cage in the middle of the run and flock activity for a week. She's broody as ever, and this is her 3rd time this year. She hatched and raised chicks, got broke the second time... and on her way OUT of my flock this time. She's a great broody and Marans hen. But her eggs aren't quite dark enough and I will never be able to hatch anything from a non laying hen.

Mark your calendar. The chicks should hatch by the same day and time you set them 3 weeks later. And I would plan to candle and check for development around day 7, up to day 10. Remove any that you can't see an eye or blood vessels in, unless you are really unsure since this is your first time. Darker eggs are harder to candle.

Glad your friend stopped her rooster from over mating her hens any farther, from the picture in my head of him being quite virile from the hens' looks. They will probably be happier now.

IF you put feed near her, I suggest making sure to put it up at night to not attract rats. They are chick predators and have been known even to gnaw on a hen! I personally only put feed near a broody after the chicks hatch until she gets them out of the nest. Prior to that, she knows her way around... and made her decision to brood, so I don't worry about her. I would make sure it doesn't get too hot in your shed, I don't see your location listed by your avatar. Sometimes putting at least a general location will help others to answer your questions or make more solid suggestions without having to ask "where are you and how's your weather".

Best wishes and happy hatching!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Most of your questions are pretty much answered. Are the eggs fertile, almost certainly but only time will tell for sure. Is she still broody, if she is spending nights on the nest, yes.

Is where she is sitting OK? I grew up on a farm where the chickens free ranged and a lot went broody. Some went broody in the coop, some in a ten feet high hay loft, and some just hid a nest wherever. Some we never found. Some were out where you'd think they'd get wet from rain. From what you describe it sounds like a great place compared to many of these. By the way, the hens that hatched in that ten feet high hay loft told their chicks to jump to the ground when the hatch was over and they did. 8" is nothing to worry about.

Different people manage broody hens in different ways. I do not put food or water near her when she is on the nest, mine come off the nest to eat, drink, and poop as they need to. I do not move a hen and chicks from her nest when they hatch. The chicks start talking to the hen when they internal pip, long before they hatch. That way the hen knows another is on the way and will not abandon the nest early. She knows more about that than I do. I've had hens take their chicks off the nests within 24 hours of the first one hatching. I've had some hatches drag out so the hen waited three full days plus a bit before she brought them off. All I do is put food and water on the floor or where the chicks can get to it. That's it, I leave everything else up to the hen.

I mark the eggs with a Sharpie and check under her once a day after the other hens have laid to remove any that don't belong. As long as you remove those eggs daily they are good to use. I don't write dates on the eggs themselves, that information goes on the calendar. I draw lines around the egg, one the short way and one the long way so I can instantly tell which eggs belong. Different people mark them different ways, it's not a big deal.

My eggs don't always hatch at exactly 21 days, whether in an incubator or under a broody. Even under a broody hen mine usually hatch at 19 or 20 days. Some people often have them hatch a day or two late. There are different reasons for that. Just don't be surprised if they are a bit early and be patient (easier said than done) if they are late.

Some people like to micromanage about everything about their broody hens. That's their business. I find that the more I interfere the more harm I cause so I just leave her alone as much as I can.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

@Ridgerunner I like the way you describe your lines on the eggs. That sounds like an easier way to see than picking them up and turning around to find whatever mark I used.

 

[Ridgerunner]

@Ridgerunner I like the way you describe your lines on the eggs. That sounds like an easier way to see than picking them up and turning around to find whatever mark I used.

You should see my incubator eggs. I write numbers on them so I can tell which ones have pipped and which haven't. I write the numbers on them 6 times, once in each end and then around the egg 4 times. That way, no matter how the egg is laying or how it gets moved around I can see a number.