Help please - advice on young Sussex going broody!

[PouleChick]

Are you sure she laid an egg? Another hen may have gotten in and laid it

No it was definitely her - we only have 5 chickens, one is a new mummy, 1 is a broody locked up and there is 3 ''layers" and we had 3 eggs today!

 

[SMorrison7k]

No it was definitely her - we only have 5 chickens, one is a new mummy, 1 is a broody locked up and there is 3 ''layers" and we had 3 eggs today!

How strange! Definitely sounds like she is just practicing. Hopefully she takes care of herself in the process!
My flock is so big that I really don't know if my "practicing" girls are laying or not. I think one of them is starting to go truly Broody. But I'm out of spaces for Broody hens! I think my next bet is going to set up a dog kennel in my hay barn for her

 

[PouleChick]

She is eating drinking and pooing so all good. She also stopped laying eggs as of late last week so I'm goign to count her broody from then i think. I've reserved some Cream Legbar, marans and vorwerk eggs to pick up on Wednesday for her

 

[SMorrison7k]

She is eating drinking and pooing so all good. She also stopped laying eggs as of late last week so I'm goign to count her broody from then i think. I've reserved some Cream Legbar, marans and vorwerk eggs to pick up on Wednesday for her

Yay! Good luck!

 

[PouleChick]

Thank you! Vorwerks weren't on the list of birds I wanted but they are lovely looking and lay white / light pinky eggs and lots of mine are brown and in the future blue but thought it would be nice to have some more light ones!

 

[PouleChick]

Sadly his Cream Legbars had gone off the lay last week and didn't lay any Wednesday - I went Thursday and I have one precious egg! Got a mix of blue / black and splash Marans, 4 Vorwerks and 1 bantam pekin.

Oh and she was naughty and gave me a fright being off the nest much of yesterday afternoon (I was out and hubby told me) but it was super hot and she hasnt' budged today so hoping there is no problem.

 

[PouleChick]

I'm still being very wary with both her and me being so new to hatching chicks! She has been looking after herself and getting up daily to do her stuff but a few days now I've gone to check on her to check she is back on (after her staying off for ages the other day) and she doesnt' seem to know to tuck her eggs under her, she just sits down I think and tough luck for any out! I have made the decision to take 6 away and put them in the incubator - I hope that is the right call but I want these eggs to hatch! I hope I can sneak them back under her once they are born. I candled the ones I've brought up and they all look pretty good (although was a bit guessy for the 2 BCMs!). The one I'm least sure about is the precious single Cream Legbar as I'm not sure if there is a blood ring forming (it was the egg most out from under her yesterday too) but hubby didn't think so. I'll check again in a few days.
They are in the incubator and I'm now doubting myself as I read up more. I don't have a seperate hydrometer and the one that is in there said 70% humidity before I even put it on. Maybe I should just trust Mabel to get on with it and go put them back under her

 

[SMorrison7k]

I'm still being very wary with both her and me being so new to hatching chicks! She has been looking after herself and getting up daily to do her stuff but a few days now I've gone to check on her to check she is back on (after her staying off for ages the other day) and she doesnt' seem to know to tuck her eggs under her, she just sits down I think and tough luck for any out! I have made the decision to take 6 away and put them in the incubator - I hope that is the right call but I want these eggs to hatch! I hope I can sneak them back under her once they are born. I candled the ones I've brought up and they all look pretty good (although was a bit guessy for the 2 BCMs!). The one I'm least sure about is the precious single Cream Legbar as I'm not sure if there is a blood ring forming (it was the egg most out from under her yesterday too) but hubby didn't think so. I'll check again in a few days.
They are in the incubator and I'm now doubting myself as I read up more. I don't have a seperate hydrometer and the one that is in there said 70% humidity before I even put it on. Maybe I should just trust Mabel to get on with it and go put them back under her

So frustrating not knowing! How warm has it been there? My first time broody was often not pushing them under her, but it was quite hot here. Is she getting them under her at night? How many does she have under her? I don't know anything about incubating so I can't help you there. I do tend to try to trust nature though!

 

[PouleChick]

It has been early to mid 20's - high 20's (celsius!) the other day when she was off for a while but on the cooler days she has been getting back on quite quickly so she is obviously understanding she needs to do that. To be honest I've been pushing the eggs back under her so not sure if she would work it out or not and they are certainly all still under her when I check in the mornings (I've been running my hand all around her to be sure!).

I do tend to try to trust nature though!

Now that I've candled the ones I took from her and found them all to be good I'm actually seriously considering putting them back under her - I have such limited amount of time I'm not sure addign pressure of turning / worrying about humidity etc is something I really need right now! And I did make an informed decision to use broodies not an incubator when I bought 2 silkie hens instead of an incubator (although now understand it would be good tohave one as back up).

I'm day 6 - what does everyone think - shall I just give them back to mama? Wait a few days to keep a close eye on the Cream Legbar egg then give them back? Keep them in the incubator as per plan B?

 

[SMorrison7k]

As long as there just aren't too many eggs for her to cover, I would probably personally give them back. She is probably rotating them in and out more than you realize! Best of luck!