How long will she be broody for?*EDIT Putting chicks under a broody???

[FabulousMandy]

My GLW went broody over a plastic Easter Egg that I keep in the nest boxes

. This is my first experience with a broody hen, and at first I thought about just breaking her up, but THEN I thought about buying some fertile hatching eggs and sticking them under her. I'll have to order them online and I don't know how long they'll take to get here, but I'm wondering how long she'll stay broody. Like if I just leave her there and just take her out of the nest box to eat/drink how long will it be before she hops down and quits on her own volition?

By my calculations... if she's waiting for a little chick to pop out of that plastic egg, she's going to be broody long enough for me to get some eggs under her lol. Am I right? I'm not privy to the determination of a hen to hatch an egg. Someone please enlighten me

.

(p.s. my husband is going to KILL me because I just ordered six new chicks [coming middle of May] and now I'm getting baby makin' eggs lol)

EDIT: Anyone know how to slip the chicks under my broody girl so she'll think she hatched them??

 

[CMV]

Hens can go broody for a couple days, or they can go broody for a couple months. It all depends on the bird. Minimizing disturbances around her will encourage her to keep brooding.

 

[KingSpeck]

I'm pretty new at this but I think you may be able to just bypass the fertilized eggs and stick the chicks you ordered under her at night and she'll think she's hatched them out. Someone with more experience may have a better suggestion though.

 

[pattgal]

Quote:
How do you sneak a chick under a hen (without waking her that is). does anyone have any more precise info on this
Chicks are pretty noisy. Do hens sleep that deep?

 

[FabulousMandy]

Quote:
I was JUST thinking about that right as I was going to bed last night!! YES please if anyone knows how to slip in some chicks under a broody PLEASE let me know! Man, if I don't have to keep the babies in a brooder cage my life will be 17824672836438 times easier!

 

[KingSpeck]

Just me again so I'm still hoping someone with more experience will help you out but from what I understand since it will be dark they all just settle right back down. Throughout the night the chicks peep some, the hen clucks some and by morning they're all just one happy family. The only experience I have is sticking eggs under a broody at night but she barely noticed and went right back to sleep. Granted, eggs don't move around and make noise but that's what the hen is waiting for, right?

 

[chickenlips1954]

It's really easy to slip new chicks under a broody...I've done it a couple of times when their eggs didn't hatch. Take the "fake or non-fertile" eggs out from under the broody, then place the new chicks under her. Mine immediately started clucking to the babies and instantly they were hers! I have read that this is easier at night, but I've done this during the day and have had great luck with no rejection by the broody. I do stay and watch for a few minutes to make sure she doesn't peck them and that no other hens go over to check them out and frighten her off her babies. I don't know your housing situation, but I use a dog carrier, put the mama and babies in it and set it in the corner of the coop, so that the other girls leave them alone and they have a safe place all their own. Good luck and have fun!

 

[bobbi-j]

I just did this a few weeks ago with a broody who's eggs didn't hatch. I went out there with my flashlight so I wouldn't have to turn on the shed light. She still woke up, and was very fiesty. She started pecking at me, and then everything that moved until she heard the chicks peeping. Then she settled down and started clucking and gathering them under her and was very content by the time I left her alone. That was a few weeks ago, and they're a very happy family. They were all in another shed, so now I have to introduce them to my rooster and a couple of other hens eventually. But that time will come.

 

[write2caroline]

My Dot GLW has been trying to go broody for a very long time and would not take no for an answer - put some eggs under her on 4/20 and she has sat on them ever since hatch date 5/11-5/12 roughly. She is bent on being a MOMMA.
Caroline