Gypsy is Broody Again

[sweetshoplady]

Today I found out where my hens were laying. I thought they were taking a break. Nope, just stashing them under the lawn mower. I found Gypsy setting on them.

She hatched out some chicks about 10 - 12 weeks ago. Anybody else have a hen who has really strong maternal instinct and have back to back broods? She was a very good mama to her chicks last time.

She is sitting on lots and lots of eggs, enough that she doesn't seem to cover them all. Should I remove a couple of them or just leave her be and whatever hatches, hatches?

I do have eggs in the bator. Which should hatch at the same time as these under Gypsy. How many chicks can Gypsy take care of?

Thanks!

 

[Southernbelle]

I love broodies!

I have 2 with chicks and 1 with eggs right now.

All my broodies are first timers, so I don't know how long before they'll dive back into broodiness. They're Silkies, though, so probably really soon.

I think the general rule is a broody can handle about a dozen eggs of the same size they usually lay. I usually let my Silkies have 12 banty eggs or 6 standards max.

I would probably remove a few of Gypsy's eggs - I would worry that when she turns them she'd mix the eggs in the outer and inner circles and none would get consistant heat. Can you put them in the bator?

As for how many she can take care of...

I can just see her getting carried away by 100 baby chicks!

I think you'll have to play that one by ear. If you give her a lot of chicks, I think you should offer an alternate heat source for the chicks that can't fit under her.

When are they due to hatch?

 

[powerline]

Several years ago, I had a mix hen. If another hen hatched a brood, she would start clucking after them. Within a day or two, a few of the chicks would follow her around and she would raise them. unfortunately, a varmit got her.

 

[sweetshoplady]

I think that it will be about 18 days. Possibly less as I'm not 100% sure when she started. I know its been at least 2 days.

I loved watching her with her babies last time. It was so cute how they would climb on her.