My broody chicken, maybe... another chicken's fertilized eggs.

[Jezalilly]

Hello all.
I'm not exactly sure how to explain my situating so if I ramble, or sound moronic, forgive me. This is all new to me. I have 4 hens, no roosters.

I believe Joana, my 1 1/2 year old Black Australorp, is broody based on what I've read... bristling up if approached, staying in the nesting box and bristling up if I open the top.
I was told about a woman who sells her eggs. They are all fertilized. The rooster is a silkie and the hen is ameracauna. I spoke to someone who supposedly got eggs from her, let his broody hen sit on them, they hatched and everyone lived happily ever after...lol. There was none of the drama of interposed the new chicks because the "mama" protected them.

Does this sound feasible or was someone playing a trick on a fairly new chicken mom with A LOT to learn.

If I sound like a twit, please be gentle with your rebukes. .

Thanks!!!

 

[The Happster]

Are you asking how easy it is to let a hen hatch? Sorry if I'm missing the point.

I would hatch with a hen EVERY time.
All I do is take the hen out twice a day for a monitored break, and then make sure she has a safe place to hatch. And maybe worry. And of course supply chick feed.
Hens have a higher hatch rate with chicks, they do all the work, they raise the chicks, protect them, everything.
However. There could be complications.
It's possible your hen could attack the chicks when they hatched. Or you could just lose chicks. It happens.
But it's really worth doing.
I think everyone should hatch once with a broody. It's an absolute joy.

 

[Jezalilly]

Are you asking how easy it is to let a hen hatch? Sorry if I'm missing the point.

I would hatch with a hen EVERY time.
All I do is take the hen out twice a day for a monitored break, and then make sure she has a safe place to hatch. And maybe worry. And of course supply chick feed.
Hens have a higher hatch rate with chicks, they do all the work, they raise the chicks, protect them, everything.
However. There could be complications.
It's possible your hen could attack the chicks when they hatched. Or you could just lose chicks. It happens.
But it's really worth doing.
I think everyone should hatch once with a broody. It's an absolute joy.

I guess the easiest way to put it ...

Is it possible for a broody hen to hatch another hens eggs?

 

[The Happster]

Absolutely.

 

[Jezalilly]

Am I supposed to remove the hen and eggs from the other 3 hens?

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Are you asking how easy it is to let a hen hatch? Sorry if I'm missing the point.

I would hatch with a hen EVERY time.
All I do is take the hen out twice a day for a monitored break, and then make sure she has a safe place to hatch. And maybe worry. And of course supply chick feed.
Hens have a higher hatch rate with chicks, they do all the work, they raise the chicks, protect them, everything.
However. There could be complications.
It's possible your hen could attack the chicks when they hatched. Or you could just lose chicks. It happens.
But it's really worth doing.
I think everyone should hatch once with a broody. It's an absolute joy.

I agree. I've raised in a brooder and let mama do the work. Mama was the way to go! I also removed her from the nest daily to give her a break, but only because she wasn't leaving on her own. I switched the entire flock to grower feed after they hatched (because all flock feed wasn't available) and have been feeding the gals free choice egg shells.

 

[The Happster]

I would separate her from the other hens into a spot she can be broody in peace. She can have a break with the other hens around, but I wouldn't let the other hens near the eggs. For multiple reasons. The other hens might accidentally/deliberately crack the eggs. The hens might scare your broody off, if the pecking order is aggressive. And because she will be blocking their egg laying spot.
Edit, and they could lay eggs which your hen will sit on and then you'll have eggs all at different stages. (Horror!)

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I would separate her from the other hens into a spot she can be broody in peace. She can have a break with the other hens around, but I wouldn't let the other hens near the eggs. For multiple reasons. The other hens might accidentally/deliberately crack the eggs. The hens might scare your broody off, if the pecking order is aggressive. And because she will be blocking their egg laying spot.

I forgot to mention that part. I just put a small chicken wire makeshift cage in the corner of my coop, mostly to keep the other ladies from laying in her nest.

HAVE A PLAN FOR YOUR ROOSTERS. If you try to hatch, lets say a dozen eggs, probably 8-12 will hatch, and half of those statistically will be roosters.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Moving a hen would be nice, but they like to go broody where THEY want to go broody. If you do move her mover her with dummy eggs until you know for sure it was a good move. In the middle of the night perhaps.

 

[The Happster]

HAVE A PLAN FOR YOUR ROOSTERS. If you try to hatch, lets say a dozen eggs, probably 8-12 will hatch, and half of those statistically will be roosters.

Oops. The thing I always forget. I never have a plan for my roosters
I'm glad you said that.