HOW WOULD YOU KNOW? * NEED HELP*

Ozzie_0921

In the Brooder
Jun 7, 2018
13
8
19
Hello Everyone,

I have different types of chickens, Plymouth Rock, Orpington, and a leghorn and a rooster of course and my chickens have been laying eggs for a while now, but i'm sadden i want them to have baby chicks. however, I don't seem to know when they are ready to have baby chicks? can anyone help?
 
Hens hatch eggs when they go broody, and not before.

You can tell when they're broody when they puff up their wing/breast/back feathers, loose feathers on their bellies, and refuse to leave the nest. If you do remove them, they will remain puffed, possibly go eat and drink, and then run right back to the nest. They will growl instead of cluck, and you may be in danger of losing fingers to their defense of their eggs (okay, slight exaggeration.)

Orps are supposed to be fairly consistent broodies, so you may see one go broody soon. They also get broodier as they get older. Unfortunately, you can't really tell a chicken what she's supposed to do. They may go broody, they may not.

Welcome to BYC.
 
You can try to encourage them by using fake eggs, (or just leave their eggs), I use fakes. It does not work every time, but it does sometimes,,,, Just add a fake egg to the nest (I want them to set in) each day they lay in it. IF one sets on them, swap them for the real thing.
I use an incubator, I get better hatch and survival rates than hens do,,, most hens. I did have one that got 100% on both.
 
Once they start laying eggs they can become broody, but the eggs obviously won't hatch unless they're fertile. The hens decide when they want to be broody so it's up to them when they want to be moms. You can always take a few fertile eggs and hatch them yourself though.
thank you so much! :)
 
Hens hatch eggs when they go broody, and not before.

You can tell when they're broody when they puff up their wing/breast/back feathers, loose feathers on their bellies, and refuse to leave the nest. If you do remove them, they will remain puffed, possibly go eat and drink, and then run right back to the nest. They will growl instead of cluck, and you may be in danger of losing fingers to their defense of their eggs (okay, slight exaggeration.)

Orps are supposed to be fairly consistent broodies, so you may see one go broody soon. They also get broodier as they get older. Unfortunately, you can't really tell a chicken what she's supposed to do. They may go broody, they may not.

Welcome to BYC.
haha thank you! this truly helped :)
 
You can try to encourage them by using fake eggs, (or just leave their eggs), I use fakes. It does not work every time, but it does sometimes,,,, Just add a fake egg to the nest (I want them to set in) each day they lay in it. IF one sets on them, swap them for the real thing.
I use an incubator, I get better hatch and survival rates than hens do,,, most hens. I did have one that got 100% on both.
yes i did that :) I've notice that fake eggs catches their attention and they seem to alway lay eggs by the fake egg thanks for confirming!
 

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