Is she starting to get broody?

[tn_artist]

I have three or four bantams of differing breeds that are laying. My daughter really wanted to see if one of them would get broody. I numbered the eggs on the 18th so I could continue to collect new eggs. Our little Black rosecomb was sitting on the eggs yesterday afternoon, but went out when I let the flock out to range. This morning she was on the eggs again. When I got home, the frizzle Cochin was on the nest. She eventually left it and later the rosecomb went back in the box. There was an extra egg in the nest, but there were two on the ground also. I wonder if she wouldn't leave the others alone until they left "her" nest. Rose also was sitting in the box when I closed the coop at dusk. She looked settled for the night. She isn't puffing up and growling though, and she got out of the nest when I came close. Does all of this means that she is on her way to being broody? Does it usually take days to become full on broody? Decades ago, it seemed that they were broody over night, but of course I was much younger then and probably didn't watch so closely.

 

[DobieLover]

I have three or four bantams of differing breeds that are laying. My daughter really wanted to see if one of them would get broody. I numbered the eggs on the 18th so I could continue to collect new eggs. Our little Black rosecomb was sitting on the eggs yesterday afternoon, but went out when I let the flock out to range. This morning she was on the eggs again. When I got home, the frizzle Cochin was on the nest. She eventually left it and later the rosecomb went back in the box. There was an extra egg in the nest, but there were two on the ground also. I wonder if she wouldn't leave the others alone until they left "her" nest. Rose also was sitting in the box when I closed the coop at dusk. She looked settled for the night. She isn't puffing up and growling though, and she got out of the nest when I came close. Does all of this means that she is on her way to being broody? Does it usually take days to become full on broody? Decades ago, it seemed that they were broody over night, but of course I was much younger then and probably didn't watch so closely.

Broodiness is a process.
If she settled on the nest to sleep whereas she would normally roost, it sounds possible that she is thinking about becoming broody.

 

[tn_artist]

Broodiness is a process.
If she settled on the nest to sleep whereas she would normally roost, it sounds possible that she is thinking about becoming broody.

Yay! She usually flies to the rafters to sleep. She is the tiniest of the ones laying and we left a dozen eggs in the nest. I'm thinking that is an awful lot of eggs for a bantam rosecomb. The eggs are from her, a d'Uccle, bantam Cochin frizzle, and, I think, an OEGB. Should I remove some eggs. She had them all covered as far as I could tell, but that seems a lot for such a tiny bird. Thoughts?

 

[DobieLover]

Yay! She usually flies to the rafters to sleep. She is the tiniest of the ones laying and we left a dozen eggs in the nest. I'm thinking that is an awful lot of eggs for a bantam rosecomb. The eggs are from her, a d'Uccle, bantam Cochin frizzle, and, I think, an OEGB. Should I remove some eggs. She had them all covered as far as I could tell, but that seems a lot for such a tiny bird. Thoughts?

I would probably limit her to 9. Broody hatch rates are pretty good.
What is the dad?

 

[tn_artist]

I would probably limit her to 9. Broody hatch rates are pretty good.
What is the dad?

We have an EE that loves Icy the d'Uccle and Angel the frizzle, but I haven't seen him even act interested in the other bantams. We have two d'Uccle roos. A randy Millie Fleur who mates anyone who will let him, which isn't many as most aren't laying yet, and a porcelain who never mates anyone.

 

[aart]

Have you checked the eggs for fertility when you open them to eat?
Personally, I'd use fake eggs as 'bait'.....until you see this:
Is she on nest most the day and all night?
When you pull her out of nest and put her on the ground, does she flatten right back out into a fluffy screeching pancake?
Does she walk around making a low cluckcluckcluckcluckcluck(ticking bomb) sound on her way back to the nest?
If so, then she is probably broody and you'll have to decide how to manage it.

 

[tn_artist]

Well, you can wish in one hand....

I haven't heard that saying since I left TN! So, so true.

 

[tn_artist]

Have you checked the eggs for fertility when you open them to eat?
Personally, I'd use fake eggs as 'bait'.....until you see this:
Is she on nest most the day and all night?
When you pull her out of nest and put her on the ground, does she flatten right back out into a fluffy screeching pancake?
Does she walk around making a low cluckcluckcluckcluckcluck(ticking bomb) sound on her way back to the nest?
If so, then she is probably broody and you'll have to decide how to manage it.

She isn't full on broody. No puffing or fishing for disturbing her. We do want her to be broody.

 

[aart]

We do want her to be broody.

Well, you can wish in one hand....