Is my hen broody?

[aart]

She's only been broody for maybe a week?
I'd wait another week.... or even two.
When you go today, see what they have and ask about if they'll be getting more.
The younger the chicks, and the longer the broody has been sitting, the better.
You'll always have to be ready to brood the chicks yourself,
in case the broody doesn't accept them.

 

[mountainchickens]

She's only been broody for maybe a week?
I'd wait another week.... or even two.
When you go today, see what they have and ask about if they'll be getting more.
The younger the chicks, and the longer the broody has been sitting, the better.
You'll always have to be ready to brood the chicks yourself,
in case the broody doesn't accept them.

Alright, thanks! It's been a week, yes, but she seems pretty much the broodiest she's going to get... hasn't gone out in the run since Saturday, and is super protective of her eggs... who knows though
We'll be ready in case she doesn't adopt them, yeah. And will definitely ask when we're there. We won't be getting any under five days old. Do you think it would work tonight if the chicks were 2-3 days old? If not, next weekend maybe...

 

[mountainchickens]

She's got two fertile eggs under her right now, so still thinking we might just let her hatch those out. We'd be on vacation, but we have housesitters who can feed and water the chicks. To monitor their hatch we could put a camera up in the corner of the coop with a livestream to a linked phone, so we could watch and see if there are any issues, etc.

 

[mountainchickens]

Our three little chicks just had their mom go crazy and start pecking them for the second time in 2 days. We're thinking of raising them in an outdoor brooder with a mama heating pad in the coop, I don't think Mom is going to take them. We'll start breaking her broody tomorrow. For now, devising a plan to brood the chicks

 

[mountainchickens]

She seems to have accepted them today and has not gone psycho! Now they just have to learn to listen to her.