golden buff brooding and hatching eggs

[the girls club]

I jhave 6 Golden buffs. One is broody. Sits on her nest.I caught her off onces for only a short time. She hasn't lost weight. I couldn't break her broodyness. How long does a chicken brood. It's been close to 2 months. So I got some fertile eggs from a friend. I thought why not. Do eggs hatch in 21 days? If so they should be due to hatch around Aug 5th. Will that break her broodiness. She is in a coop with 5 other chickens. Will she come out of her broodiness?How long will it take for her to do that. I bought all of thne chickens in September of last year. So they are almost a year old. Should I set up a brooder and put her in it with her eggs. I'm stumped at what to do. Any help would be appreciated

 

[sumi]

Chicken eggs take 21 days to incubate, yes. Sometimes they may hatch a bit sooner or a bit later, even under a broody, but mostly it takes 21 from start of incubation to hatch. Once the eggs have hatched the hen will get up off the nest and raise her chicks. She will still be broody and she will not lay until she weans the chicks, which will generally be after 5-7 weeks, though some hens may hang on to them longer. Rather leave her and the eggs where she is at the moment. She will not take kindly to being moved now, though you can move her afterwards, once her chicks have hatched. Or leave them in the coop, so she can raise them in with the rest of the flock, which will give the chicks a chance to be part of the flock and accepted by them from the start.

 

[the girls club]

Thanks for the information. The eggs are not hers but from other chickens. Two of the egss are bantams three are easter eggers . The eggs are blue. Amoung other colors of eggs. I didn't know if she would accept them as her own or not. I don't even know if any are roosters or not. So it will be a surprise. Thank you for thee information. I get more anxious each day as it gets closer. As I don't know if 12 eggs will over whelm her or simply if all will hatch. I was going to get rid of her after they all hatched but now I will wait to see if she starts to lay again

 

[sumi]

I've had broody hens hatch up to 12 chicks (I never give them more than 12 eggs at a time) and raise the chicks without any problems. A good broody can handle more than that, as long as she can cover them and keep them warm when needed. Once the chicks are around 5-7 weeks old the hen usually starts thinking about weaning them and will start laying again. Though I have had one hen that laid a few eggs while still looking after the chicks.

 

[grannychicken54]

Chicken eggs take 21 days to incubate, yes. Sometimes they may hatch a bit sooner or a bit later, even under a broody, but mostly it takes 21 from start of incubation to hatch. Once the eggs have hatched the hen will get up off the nest and raise her chicks. She will still be broody and she will not lay until she weans the chicks, which will generally be after 5-7 weeks, though some hens may hang on to them longer. Rather leave her and the eggs where she is at the moment. She will not take kindly to being moved now, though you can move her afterwards, once her chicks have hatched. Or leave them in the coop, so she can raise them in with the rest of the flock, which will give the chicks a chance to be part of the flock and accepted by them from the start.

I just asked this question on another thread I have 3 hens that have chicks between 5and 7 weeks old still with thier moms and the hens are laying in the pens with the chicks. The pens are just regular chicken wire that we built around the hens when they went broody in the coop they are still very protective of the babies but laying a egg every day or to I know it is them because no other hens can get in .I have never had this happen should I take the babies away or just let them be

 

[sumi]

Leave them with their moms as long as they want to stay together. The moms will protect them, which is always good! But it would be a good idea to let them mingle with the rest of the flock before the hens wean the chicks. This way the flock can meet the chicks while they are still under mom's protection. A good broody won't let anyone mess with her chicks.

 

[the girls club]

Here's another question. Since this is my first time with almost year old chickens and ferlalized eggs. The mothers nest is about 2 to 4 inches off the floor. For some reason She likes the nest. always had. I'm concerned when her newborns hatch that they will be to high and when they hop down they will hurt thier leggs. I just bought another wooden nest. Thats the type I have. Should I place the new one on the floor put her eggs and her in it. I had the more expensive nest and the girls didn't want anything to do with them. Go figure that one out.
Also My husbund got a small bag of chick medicated grower feed.today. In preperation of the chicks. Don't know how many will hatch.We got the feeders for the small ones from the first 6 girls that are almost a year old now. Also the larger feeders that they use now. The current feeders for the older chickens are on tall cement block. That are the proper hight for the older girlsPluss layer feed for them. I know layer feed will ruin a new chickens kidneys How can I prevent if I can them eating the new chicke grower feen that I have for my new chicks when they come. Or do I just switch completly back to newborn chick feed and let all the chickens eat one type. Sorry this is so long but I'm stumped. Is thier anythig else I should do