Is my chicken too young to have chicks?? Is there even an age to have chicks??

[Chicken_Girl07]

So um I found out that one of my chickens has been hiding her eggs in my garden tool shed I don't know if she wants to incubate them or if she is just laying in a different place because she wants to. She only started laying a week or two ago. If she WANTS to incubate them I don't want to make a mistake of her being to young.

 

[Ridgerunner]

but is there a certain age to have in order for them to successfully incubate an egg??

When you deal with living animals there are no absolutes. Real life just doesn't work that way. Can a pullet that has just started to lay go broody? Yes, it happens. It doesn't happen often but it happens. Can she be successful if she goes broody at young age? Yes, it happens. It can also go wrong even if she is a lot older.

Many people say a lot of things about a 1st time broody but those things don't match my experiences. I've had great luck with 1st time broody hens. I've had some hens that did great their first time be a disaster their second or third time. Each time a hen goes broody it is a different experience. The vast majority of mine do great regardless of age or past experience.

The general recommendation is to not try to hatch the first eggs that a pullet lays. The egg making process if pretty complicated, sometimes it takes a while for a pullet to get everything just right so an egg can hatch. The first eggs they lay are usually pretty small, they may not have enough nutrition for the chick to develop a strong healthy body. Is it possible to hatch pullet eggs? Yes, I sometimes do. My hatch rates aren't usually as good as if I wait until a pullet has been laying for a month or more before I incubate eggs. The survival rate of the ones that do hatch isn't quite as good as the chicks that hatch from eggs laid after the hen has been laying a while. Some will hatch but I think it is better to wait a bit to incubate them. But the reality is that many will hatch and do well.

There is a big difference in what might, could possibly, occasionally, or sometimes happens to what happens each and every time. There is no specific minimum age for a pullet or hen to go broody and be successful. There is no specific minimum age a pullet has to be before she starts laying eggs, let alone laying eggs that will hatch. Most don't do any of that at a ridiculously young age but there are always exceptions.

I know you read a lot of stuff on here about certain requirements like age but those requirements don't agree with my experience. I think you asked a good question but the answer is no, there is no set requirement. Or a better way pf saying it may be that there is no minimum age that guarantees success. Young pullets and hens can succeed. Old hens can fail.

or if she is just laying in a different place because she wants to. She only started laying a week or two ago

This is really common for a pullet just starting to lay or even for a hen that has been laying in one of your regular nests. They can't read or understand what you say, let alone read your mind. They decide where they are going to lay. That might be in one of your nests or they may find another place. It does not mean they are planning on hiding a nest from you so they can build up enough eggs to hatch. it isn't that complicated. It just means she decided to lay her eggs there instead of in one of your nests. Don't read any more than that into it.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

yes i do

I believe she has simply chosen a different spot to lay. Unless she’s on the nest full time, she is not broofing.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

@TheOddOneOut is right. Unless she is sitting on the eggs around the clock, she may just have a different nest. However, she could just be accumulating a clutch before she starts sitting. How many eggs did ;she have?

 

[wf1992]

I had one who managed to hide 14 eggs before I caught her, after only a few weeks of laying. I thought she was just a really ambitious little wannabe mom. She's 3 now, and has never gone broody to this day.

My BO went broody at 6 months and was a great mom.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

So um I found out that one of my chickens has been hiding her eggs in my garden tool shed I don't know if she wants to incubate them or if she is just laying in a different place because she wants to. She only started laying a week or two ago. If she WANTS to incubate them I don't want to make a mistake of her being to young.

Do you have a rooster?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Do you have a rooster?

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Do you have a rooster?

Do you have a rooster?

Jinx.

 

[Chicken_Girl07]

Do you have a rooster?

yes i do

 

[Chicken_Girl07]

I believe she has simply chosen a different spot to lay. Unless she’s on the nest full time, she is not broofing.

ahh! i was scared because its cold where I live and I don't want babies to freeze to death