Giving eggs to broody hen?

[Hessk]

Tomorrow I’m picking up some fertile eggs for my girl. She was broody last summer for about three weeks (laying on no eggs). She’s serious about wanting to be a momma! She’s in one of the nesting boxes that no other hens use. I have a small flock of 5 and no roosters. All my chickens are very friendly with each other and have so much room that no one ever bugs one another. I was wanting to put the eggs in her current nest then maybe around day 18/19 move her into the brooder box. I’m worried about moving her to the brooder box right away and then having her become uninterested because she’s never been away from her fellow ladies before. Do you think moving her later would be okay or should I just do it the first day?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Move her after most or all have hatched. Most are fine at that time. Moving them before they hatch may cause your hen to abandon them. So either move her before you give the eggs, or after they hatch.

 

[Hessk]

The chicks'll be fine for up to 72 hours. They'll not be interested in food much-at all until about 48 hrs.

You could candle the two "duds" for movement.

Congratulations on your hatch!

Thank you! I just went to check on number four and she had all four (must have just hatched) out getting food and drinking water. Thanks for your help!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Oh yes! I’m with them everyday lol. After I move them to the brooder box should I have the heat lamp on or are they okay since they have mom?

No heat lamp is necessary. Mom will keep them warm, and show them food and water. Mom will also scratch the food all over so be prepared for that.

Hopefully your hen is a good mom. Sometimes they have no clue what chicks are so watch them all carefully and remove chicks if she gets aggressive with them.

 

[Hessk]

Move her after most or all have hatched. Most are fine at that time. Moving them before they hatch may cause your hen to abandon them. So either move her before you give the eggs, or after they hatch.

My original plan was to allow them to hatch in there before moving but I thought it would be frowned upon haha. I think she would be most comfortable doing it that way. Thank you!

 

[sylviethecochin]

And, of course, you've read about marking your eggs so that she doesn't mysteriously go from eight eggs to seventeen, all of them due to hatch on different days? (Just making sure.)

 

[Hessk]

And, of course, you've read about marking your eggs so that she doesn't mysteriously go from eight eggs to seventeen, all of them due to hatch on different days? (Just making sure.)

They are all due to hatch the same day. I didn’t think to mark them because my other girls use a different nesting box outside the coop, but I will just to make sure. This is my first time so any advice is very much appreciated!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Also hopefully you are around on hatch day. Sometimes chicks jump out early. So watch them or try to confine them in the nest box during hatch.

 

[Hessk]

Three have hatched! A fourth is working on it

 

[sylviethecochin]

The chicks'll be fine for up to 72 hours. They'll not be interested in food much-at all until about 48 hrs.

You could candle the two "duds" for movement.

Congratulations on your hatch!