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conquest780

Chirping
6 Years
Mar 5, 2013
154
1
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So my cochin bantam has gone broody (I think so ?) with no eggs underneath her. I don't have eggs at the moment so what should I do?
 
First make sure she is committed before giving her eggs. If a hen stays on the nest for at least 2 days and nights, getting up only for short breaks to eat and a drink and stretch her legs, chances are good she's really broody and will sit the duration. You can give her other hens' eggs, it doesn't matter to them, honestly. A friend of mine gave her hen duck eggs to hatch for her and the hen raised the ducklings afterwards as well. If you can't get fertile eggs from anyone near you try the Chicken Hatching Eggs section in the BST section. Best of luck!
 


This photo is of a Dark Cornish mama hen with her Ameraucana brood. A hen has no idea if she's sitting on her eggs, or a flock members eggs, or shipped eggs. She doesn't even care if all the eggs are different colors. Right now I have a broody sitting on Marans, Leghorn, and EE eggs--she can't tell the difference.

No need to buy eggs that you'll have to throw away. Hens aren't all that smart. We use golf balls under our broodies for two days until we're sure they're committed. They can't tell the difference.
 
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I guess to my mind the golf balls are better because they serve multiple uses for us. They serve as "placeholders" for broody hens, and when they're not under the broody I leave them in the nest boxes, one or two per box. They not only reinforce the "lay eggs here" theme, but they also encourage my broody hens, since there are always "eggs" in the nests. Finally, we get an egg eater from time to time, and with close to 100 birds at any one time, I can never figure out who it is. Pecking a golf ball instead of an egg hurts their beaks, so it discourages the egg pecking behavior.

I found a pack of golf balls to be a great investment, whereas actual eggs put under a broody have to be thrown away. To each their own, however. You're right, you can't beat the eggs you already have in your fridge for quick and easy.
 
I don't have a broody, but I do have new pullets that I'm trying to teach where to lay. I purchased some wooden eggs from the local craft store. We just leave one or two in each of the boxes. If you didn't want to invest in golf balls, these work well also. :)
 
I guess to my mind the golf balls are better because they serve multiple uses for us. They serve as "placeholders" for broody hens, and when they're not under the broody I leave them in the nest boxes, one or two per box. They not only reinforce the "lay eggs here" theme, but they also encourage my broody hens, since there are always "eggs" in the nests. Finally, we get an egg eater from time to time, and with close to 100 birds at any one time, I can never figure out who it is. Pecking a golf ball instead of an egg hurts their beaks, so it discourages the egg pecking behavior.

I found a pack of golf balls to be a great investment, whereas actual eggs put under a broody have to be thrown away. To each their own, however. You're right, you can't beat the eggs you already have in your fridge for quick and easy.

Yes you are right about the egg eaters . I use golf balls for that , until the rats took a liking to them and chewed them down to half their size.
 
Well my grandpa brought some eggs of the hens that I sent to a farmhouse my family owns. My broody chicken was sitting at a corner. Anyone comes close she gets angry. I picked her up carefully and kept the eggs. At first she was staring at the eggs than she sat down on them.
 

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