In my excitement may have jumped the gun w/ Broody

[Niss]

This is Wigging. She's been sleeping in this nest for weeks and in the last several days was getting up later and later (10ish) and on Sunday was in bed by 7. When I came home yesterday and she was on the nest at 5:30 and pecked at me instead of running when I looked for eggs I jumped for joy, pronounced her broody and prepared a cage. After dark I lifted the nest out of the nest box with her still in it and slipped it into the cage in the corner of the coop. That didn't seem to disturb her in the least. However, this am she had abandond the golf balls in her nest and was looking to get out. Since there is food and water in with her I didn't let her out. I am worried I may have broken the brood, though.

I felt like I needed to move her though since she picked the most popular nest and the nest box is recessed from a shelf 3' up.

 

[Niss]

Let me add she is two yrs old.

Also, how do I deturmine which eggs to put under her--IF she's still sitting. I tried candling and they are all so porus I couldn't see jack. I have 2 roos to 15 hens plus 20 nonlaying pullets. Can I assume they are all fertile and just pull duds at 8 days?

 

[Moonkit]

Is it possible she was trying to get out to go free range for a few minutes.. some broodies will get off their nests to relieve themselves and hunt a few bugs before resuming their henly duties.

 

[Niss]

Update--when I came home I found she had abandoned her nest...but not her golf balls!!! They may have rolled out and she was sitting on them on the cage floor. I will try sticking real eggs inder her tonight unless you advise against it. 10 sound right?

 

[Moonkit]

Is their nesting material on the cage floor? I'd be worried about the eggs being exposed beneath her.

 

[Niss]

Moonkit--
I desided to put the eggs in a low hen sized box so they can't go anywhere. I think this is her first time and she may not have the bulldozing thing down. I put some hay in the box and gave her 9 eggs. I had to put the golf balls in the box before she'd hop on. Once she settled I grabbed them out. She was setting this am and had all the eggs covered. I really hope this is a success. I would love my flock to be self perpetuating! Thanks for your help--I'm still very new to poultry.

 

[Niss]

I am very discuraged right now. The hen is going great, but my family is telling me I don't know what I'm doing (fair enough), the eggs were too old, and it's generally a dumb idea. I used eggs stored at room temp that i had collected the day befor and that day. I didn't think the temps here in pa were so extreem as to render those eggs inviable.
Advice?
Also, someone told dh the chicks will still require extra work and need vacinations and all kinds of medical care--how true is.that???

 

[Life is Good!]

Congrads on your new Mom-to-be!
Nope, your eggs under her are just fine for age - they should be viable.
Some folks do vaccinate chicks - especially if you're planning on selling the chicks. But find out from someone who's done lots of this. We're not 'eggsperts' yet. Yet.

 

[Niss]

Thank you for the support! I should have pics tuesday...the internet at home just will not cut it.

The chicks would be for our use. Can anyone say what mrdical care they give new chicks? I may be in the wrong forum for that...

 

[sheila3935]

Momma will take care of their needs. Most of the time chicks reared by a hen will not have pasty butt like chicks can get when raised in a brooder. I had a BA go broody this last March. My first. It was soo easy. She did everything I just made sure they had chick starter and water available. Now I have a D'Anvers setting on 4 eggs. As for vaccinated I never have but you can get the vaccines online if you want to do that.