My coop is divided in half - flock on one side, broodies on the other. They are housed in dog crates and have access to a 4'x9' outdoor pen within the 1200' pen. I usually put a broody in a crate after they've been broody for a day or two and let them out once a day under my supervision. When they've demonstrated that they will get off the eggs and return to them unaided I leave their crate door open 24/7 and the access door to the outside open all day (this usually takes 2-4 days).
I put a broody first time pullet on eggs 14 days ago. She has wanted to get up off the eggs two or three times a day and has never shown any interest in returning to them. She's been agitating more about getting off the eggs, spends lots of time eating and drinking and has to be ushered back to them, grudgingly. I dusted her for mites/lice on day one and she has access to a dust bath. Bugs don't seem to be the issue. I've been concerned that she won't make it to the full 21 days.
I had a second pullet go broody yesterday, put her on golf balls last night with the thought that if broody #1 abandons the eggs I have a back up plan. Today the first broody wanted to go out in to the main pen - she was jumping at the glass door - so i let her. She started a couple of altercations with the other hens and showed no interest in returning to her eggs.
I transferred the eggs to broody #2 who, so far, seems to be ok sitting on them. I put broody #1 back in her crate (on golf balls) because she was getting into conflicts with the other birds.
Long story, but here is my question: should I assume broody #2 will sit the duration and broody #1 has given up (though she is sitting on the golf balls) and return her to the coop tonight after dark? Or should I let her sit on the golf balls unless she totally abandons them and then slip some eggs back under her right before hatch? I don't want her to still be broody and have nothing to hatch. And I don't want broody #2, also a first timer, to abandon those eggs either. This is the first time I've had a broody not be content to sit the whole 21 days without issue.
I put a broody first time pullet on eggs 14 days ago. She has wanted to get up off the eggs two or three times a day and has never shown any interest in returning to them. She's been agitating more about getting off the eggs, spends lots of time eating and drinking and has to be ushered back to them, grudgingly. I dusted her for mites/lice on day one and she has access to a dust bath. Bugs don't seem to be the issue. I've been concerned that she won't make it to the full 21 days.
I had a second pullet go broody yesterday, put her on golf balls last night with the thought that if broody #1 abandons the eggs I have a back up plan. Today the first broody wanted to go out in to the main pen - she was jumping at the glass door - so i let her. She started a couple of altercations with the other hens and showed no interest in returning to her eggs.
I transferred the eggs to broody #2 who, so far, seems to be ok sitting on them. I put broody #1 back in her crate (on golf balls) because she was getting into conflicts with the other birds.
Long story, but here is my question: should I assume broody #2 will sit the duration and broody #1 has given up (though she is sitting on the golf balls) and return her to the coop tonight after dark? Or should I let her sit on the golf balls unless she totally abandons them and then slip some eggs back under her right before hatch? I don't want her to still be broody and have nothing to hatch. And I don't want broody #2, also a first timer, to abandon those eggs either. This is the first time I've had a broody not be content to sit the whole 21 days without issue.
