Is she Broody? Help

[denco5]

I have a 9 month old buff that has been walking around the yard all puffed up for about a week, now for the past three days she has been a nesting box sitting on eggs. Each day I come home she is a differant box and sitting on brown, white and green eggs so I know she is getting out cause she can't be laying the white and green ones! But then she apperantly goes to another box and sits. If she is broody I guess I am ok with that. Does she just pick a box that has eggs and sits on them.

Any help will be great.

 

[BANTAMWYANDOTTE]

Separate her and give her only one box.....then you will more control. If you gather eggs daily, she will sit on any egg, in any box.If you can't separate her:

Fill one box with eggs and I'd bet money that's where she will brood.

 

[Judy]

I collect eggs I want to hatch on my kitchen counter for 3 or 4 days then mark them with a Sharpie and put them under the broody all at once. After the chicks start hatching she will only set on the eggs til, for me so far, the next morning, then she abandons the rest of the eggs to raise the chicks -- show them food and water, etc. This way hopefully everybody will hatch before she abandons them. Also, check under her each day and remove any added eggs. Others will climb in with her and lay, and / or she will steal eggs (yes they can carry eggs.)

It is usually recommended to separate a broody. Sometimes I have, sometimes not. I always let them raise the chicks in with the flock, though. No integration hassles that way, mama takes care of it.

Here's a good article on broodies:

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html

 

[rancher hicks]

Quote:
It has been recommended by "Minnie Rose Luvgreen" that you take the first few chicks and hold them til she is done and then slip them all back under her afterwards. .

I suggest waiting til they're all dry and ffluffy if you can. Just put them in a brooder til she's done.

I didn't look at the article yet but be sure to move a broody to a private location. One poster ended up with a mess and 26 or so eggs under her hen.

Hope all goes well

Rancher

 

[denco5]

I would like to add some eggs to her and have the 21 day process start. How will I know when she has begun keeping them warm and that the incubation has started. Do I have to have a certain number of eggs under her for her to hatch em.

 

[rancher hicks]

Place your hen in a private place and put a wooden egg or two under her and see if she stays. If she does then place 1 to 6 eggs under her. Be sure you know they are fertile and start from that day. Leave her be only checking to see that she's sitting. She will get up once a day to eat and poop so don't be worried she's quit. She knows how long to be off and how to do what she needs to.

If you are unsure of the fertility, candle on day 14, at night and in the dark. Leave her be and she'll do the rest.

Mark your calender and let the stress begin. Your stress, she'll be as calm as a cucumber. Just don't do like some and go poking around under her. When things hatch just let it go. Some how she knows who's good and who's not and what to do with a bad egg. Listen for the peeping and watch for the fluffy head. Again don't go poking about under her.

They may not all hatch on the same day at the same time. Just keep an eye out that she's hasn't left the nest with the early chicks. If she does and you want just toss the unhatched eggs. If you want take the first chicks and hold them for a day and then put them back with her at night after your sure no more eggs will hatch.

Unlike an incubator I wouldn't let her sit more than an extra day.

Count the day you set the eggs as day 1. Even hens have their problems hatching so don't freak over a dead chick or shrink wrapped egg. Most likely there were problems with that chick. Weak chicks do not make good chickens.

Now keep us posted on how things go okay?

Rancher