Hen aunty, but does this mean she's broody?

[BackyardinWales]

My matriarch takes to sitting on everypne else's eggs. Does this mean she's broody? If so, could I put my incubating eggs under her when they're ready to hatch?

People said she's a possible easter egger, and apparently they're not good for brooding. Am I wrong?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Is she sitting all day on the eggs? Does she puff up or growl when you get near her? Easter Eggers are a mix of any breed combo that will potentially produce blue eggs so yes they can go broody. Several people on here have said that their Easter Eggers were some of their best broodies.

 

[fluffycrow]

Does she fluff up and scream when you go near her, sometimes making a "cluck cluck" sound? Does she deflate herself and look like a pancake when no one's around? How much time does she spend on eggs? Does she spend the night with the eggs on the nest, if she's allowed to?

If she simply rolls the other eggs under her every time she gets in the nest box to lay, and leaves shortly after laying, then she's most likely not broody

If she is indeed broody, it will depend on your exact female weather or not she will accept the chicks. Some broodies need to be broody for at least one to two weeks before accepting chicks. Others will accept them right away. How far along are your incubator eggs? You could try placing then under her from now

Very early-on I learned not to trust breed disposition when it comes to brooding. It's one of those things a breed can't/won't guarantee. Every broody is different, and every broody attempt is different. Experience plays a huge role, even the same female won't be exactly the same in her first, second and third attempt.

Rather than worrying if your girl will make a good broody based on the breed's description, let your girl show you what she can do. If she is indeed broody, chances are she'll be a good mother

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Does she fluff up and scream when you go near her, sometimes making a "cluck cluck" sound? Does she deflate herself and look like a pancake when no one's around? How much time does she spend on eggs? Does she spend the night with the eggs on the nest, if she's allowed to?

If she simply rolls the other eggs under her every time she gets in the nest box to lay, and leaves shortly after laying, then she's most likely not broody

If she is indeed broody, it will depend on your exact female weather or not she will accept the chicks. Some broodies need to be broody for at least one to two weeks before accepting chicks. Others will accept them right away. How far along are your incubator eggs? You could try placing then under her from now

Very early-on I learned not to trust breed disposition when it comes to brooding. It's one of those things a breed can't/won't guarantee. Every broody is different, and every broody attempt is different. Experience plays a huge role, even the same female won't be exactly the same in her first, second and third attempt.

Rather than worrying if your girl will make a good broody based on the breed's description, let your girl show you what she can do. If she is indeed broody, chances are she'll be a good mother

This. No other words needed.

People said she's a possible easter egger, and apparently they're not good for brooding.

Easter Eggers are mixes, so their broodiness level could be anywhere. Furthermore, any breed can go broody, no matter what people say. If you get a breed that is known to almost never go broody, you still have a chance that a hen is going to go broody after all, because instinct/hormones will always control a chicken's life. I have a Polish who went broody, while people say Polish rarely ever go broody.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Does she fluff up and scream when you go near her, sometimes making a "cluck cluck" sound? Does she deflate herself and look like a pancake when no one's around? How much time does she spend on eggs? Does she spend the night with the eggs on the nest, if she's allowed to?

If she simply rolls the other eggs under her every time she gets in the nest box to lay, and leaves shortly after laying, then she's most likely not broody

If she is indeed broody, it will depend on your exact female weather or not she will accept the chicks. Some broodies need to be broody for at least one to two weeks before accepting chicks. Others will accept them right away. How far along are your incubator eggs? You could try placing then under her from now

Very early-on I learned not to trust breed disposition when it comes to brooding. It's one of those things a breed can't/won't guarantee. Every broody is different, and every broody attempt is different. Experience plays a huge role, even the same female won't be exactly the same in her first, second and third attempt.

Rather than worrying if your girl will make a good broody based on the breed's description, let your girl show you what she can do. If she is indeed broody, chances are she'll be a good mother

What a great post!!!

My matriarch takes to sitting on everypne else's eggs. Does this mean she's broody?

My test to see if a hen is truly broody is where does she spend the night? If a hen spends two consecutive nights on the nest instead of in her normal sleeping location I consider her broody enough to give her eggs. One night is not enough, it has to be two consecutive nights.

If so, could I put my incubating eggs under her when they're ready to hatch?

It's worth a try. You don't get a guarantee with anything related to living animals so anything could happen. I'd give them to her when they would go into lockdown or before. I would not wait too late.

People said she's a possible easter egger, and apparently they're not good for brooding. Am I wrong?

Some EE's will never go broody, some go broody a lot and can make great mothers. Some Silkies or Buff Orpingtons will never go broody. Others go broody a lot and can make great mothers. Some Rhode Island Reds never go broody. Some go broody a lot and can make great mothers. Each hen is an individual and will do what she will do.

Lifer is not only black and white. Not only are there a lot of shades of grey, there are some brilliant colors. When you limit life by saying "never" or "always" your odds of being wrong are tremendously high.