Is She Broody?

[Kaybug137]

My Hen Peng is a Australorp she's going to be a year next month, never have I seen her lay in the box, like at night.. Nor lay if she's laying an egg. I am not sure if she's gone broody or not. It's nighttime, will hens lay at night? I thought they laid during the day, pretty sure she's laid for me today already.. Or is she Broody? She makes a screech noise when I try to pet her in the box, but she also makes the noise when I pet her while on perch shes my raptor lol.., Hard to tell if shes fluffed up 'cause she looks like she's been through war and back, I think she's my Rooster's favorite. I put a plastic egg under her to see if she'll stay sitting on it.

 

[Megan Amber]

Screeches when you pet her? She's broody alright! The egg is a good idea. It well test how determined she is. Tow whole days including nights and she passed the test with flying colors!

 

[Kaybug137]

My mom told me to go check on her I brought a real egg 'cause I read somewhere if they tuck the egg under themselves that mean't they were broody, but she didn't tuck, plus it was an cold egg, she kind'a looked like she was bobbing her tail like she was pushing but I think I got an egg from her today but don't remember. she had her tail down earlier today just standing around in the shade then she walked away with her beak in the air and her tail in the air like a deva.

 

[Megan Amber]

Well she may only be partially broody right now. As long as you don't bother her to while she sits she may very well go completely broody.

 

[Kaybug137]

If she goes broody, will she adopt chicks or ducks that have hatched already? I'm thinking about adding a silkie to replace the Rooster I had to give away.

And I really hope she does go broody. it would be very cool to see her hatch a clutch, Mama Peng : )

 

[Megan Amber]

Well whether or not she adopts chicks depends on quite a few things. I don't think she would adopt a duckling though unless she hatched the egg. You would have to have her sit on fake eggs and wait about 18 days and slip the chicks under her at night so when she wakes up in the morning she thinks she hatched them. Even then she might except them as her own. You might be better off ordering eggs of the breed you want and having her hatch those.

It is really cool to see a mama raise her chicks!

 

[Kaybug137]

Someone emailed me from craigslist saying they have silkie chicks, so i was hoping she could adopt it, 'cause my parents do not like having the chicks in the house they make a big mess! Specially if I get duckling's too, which are a few weeks old I think.

 

[Megan Amber]

Well,unfortunately the chicks would probably be to old by the time day 18 came for her to think they were her babies. But don't lose hope, spring has just begun and there will be lot's of chicks born! Plus, we still don't know for sure that she is broody. Ducklings do make quite the mess. Trust me on that one!

 

[Kaybug137]

Lol I remember my Drake ducks were a bit messy when they were babies. I have a big tote crate thing I could use as a brooder, I always waited until the chick's were feathered out but silkies take a while longer, the hard part is moving them out with the bigger chickens. but there is plenty of room in the coop if they got chased. it didn't go to bad with my last youngsters a few months ago. I put a medium sized box out there cut a hole, placed their feed under it so they could go in it if they were hungry or scared. Ducks take a little while to grow their feather's in.

Also would you know how many hen ducks to a drake? I only have 2 drakes. and I don't want to get rid of either of them, both bonded to each other, one lost his foot to the niacin Defiency (Sorry can't spell lol!.. ) So they both stay in the yard.

 

[Megan Amber]

Well Kaybug137, I have enjoyed talking to you and would love to continue our broody conversation tomorrow. I hope you will. I have got call it a night though. I hope you find answers to your questions and will speak with you again soon.