Hen already broody, will she now lay a clutch?

[ShortHenTallPen]

Hi all! Novice question! I'd like to let my Dominique hen sit a clutch and raise chicks before the summer is out, but am not sure how to go about it. We've raised several batches of different breeds of heritage chicks ourselves, but now I'd like to start my project of maintaining a flock of Dominiques.

Our only rooster is a Dominique, we have a Dominique hen who frequently goes broody, and our secondary one has just freed up after the batch we raised this year joined the main flock — so far so good — but my hen has just gone broody in the last two days!

The info I can't seem to find anywhere is, does that mean she'll continue to lay eggs and sit a clutch, or if she's already laid her clutch, which we've gathered, and will just sit now with an empty nest?

Also, do I keep the rooster with her constantly in the separate pen, or do I let him in for the morning and then let him rejoin the main flock for the hen to have a break from him?

Thanks!

Rach

 

[Molpet]

Hi all! Novice question! I'd like to let my Dominique hen sit a clutch and raise chicks before the summer is out, but am not sure how to go about it. We've raised several batches of different breeds of heritage chicks ourselves, but now I'd like to start my project of maintaining a flock of Dominiques.

Our only rooster is a Dominique, we have a Dominique hen who frequently goes broody, and our secondary one has just freed up after the batch we raised this year joined the main flock — so far so good — but my hen has just gone broody in the last two days!

The info I can't seem to find anywhere is, does that mean she'll continue to lay eggs and sit a clutch, or if she's already laid her clutch, which we've gathered, and will just sit now with an empty nest?

Also, do I keep the rooster with her constantly in the separate pen, or do I let him in for the morning and then let him rejoin the main flock for the hen to have a break from him?

Thanks!

Rach

she' will just sit with an empty nest... most people move her to a secure private area (could be a dog cage) put fake eggs or golf balls under her, and see if she will continue to brood... when she has been committed to sit on the fake eggs for a few days, give her fertile eggs https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ody-hen-hatch-a-long-and-informational-thread

 

[ShortHenTallPen]

Thank you so much for the reply! I should have said, she is my only Dominique hen — I wanted to get more in my chicks this spring, but my supplier was sold out in advance, which is when I decided that I should finally gather my courage and try having her sit a clutch.

Since I won't be able to get any fertile Dom eggs to put under her, looks like I'll need to break her present broody spell, and then leave her in the pen with Mr for a couple of weeks and not gather her eggs!

Thanks again, much appreciated!! Hopefully I'll see some chicks by the end of summer - fingers crossed!

Rach

 

[PD-Riverman]

Since I won't be able to get any fertile Dom eggs to put under her, looks like I'll need to break her present broody spell, and then leave her in the pen with Mr for a couple of weeks and not gather her eggs!

Not gathering her eggs will not guarantee she will start back setting before the eggs go bad. You can break her broodiness, start collecting her eggs, mark the date on each one----keep them in a cooler place like your AC home----tilt the egg cartons these eggs are in daily----maybe before your eggs get to old a hen will start setting and you can place these eggs under her. "I" would discard the oldest egg daily when it gets to 2 weeks old. Good Luck