Mother's Day broody!! <~~~ first timer

[grasjm36]

My oldest barred rock, Lady, decided to go broody today (along with a very young BO whom I will have to break out of the broodiness). I left four eggs under her tonight when she was puffed out over them and being irrational. Tomorrow I plan to mark them and keep a reasonable number under her. Will she continue to lay until she reaches a good number?

I currently have 15 chicks (blue orpingtons, olive eggers, and marans) in a sectioned off portion of the coop. The nest boxes are all elevated. I can't section off a single box. And the chicks are in the only portion of the coop that can be sectioned off....so what are my options with an elevated nest box?

How long will it take for her eggs to hatch if all goes well?

Do I still provide chick grower/starter if I'm going to let nature do her thing?

Thanks ahead of time!

 

[gritsar]

Once a hen goes from thinking about it to full on broody, she stops laying. I'd hold off on giving the hen any eggs for a few days until you are sure she is going to continue to set.

My broodies hatch in the coop, with the rest of the chickens. They are segregated in dog crates. I keep the doors closed on the crates during the duration of their setting (21 days) and for about a week after their chicks hatch. During the setting, this prevents other hens from adding to the broody's clutch of eggs. After the hatch it prevents the other chickens from bothering the chicks.

I have chickens of all ages in my coop - adults (both hens and a roo), young cockerels, 5 week old chicks, week old chicks plus my broodies - so I've found it easiest to feed an all purpose food, most commonly called a "flockraiser". All that's necessary for me to add to that is oyster shell for my laying hens.

Hope this helps.

 

[Jferlisi]

i do the same as gritsar, i put my broodies in a do kennel inside the coop, mind you the kennel doesn't have to be huge since she is siting 90% of the time, and then when they are a week or so old then i let them in with the other hens. They will take up one of your nesting boxes for a time but thats it.