My First Broody!

[DellaMyDarling]

Sterling is still setting strong.
She does keep getting disturbed by other hens, in a friendly manner, but consistently.
I moved her and her 3 developing eggs into a pet crate tonight. I THINK we have 1 week to go. 2 eggs are maybe a day or 2 further alomg than the 3rd so glad I started pulling eggs to prevent more.
I'm basing off when I confirmed brooding and trying to compare candling pics to her eggs.
She was expectedly unhappy about moving. Hoping she settles. For tonight, she's locked in and has no choice.

 

[aart]

So....what happened with this scenario @DellaMyDarling ?

 

[DellaMyDarling]

So....what happened with this scenario @DellaMyDarling ?

Raven quit, so a total of 3 eggs were set under Sterling.
I am fairly confident the eggs are beyond 21 days, and Sterling is sitting on quitters. Today is my last wait. She has shown some desire to leave the nest but I wanted to squeeze another few days out in case.

They look really well developed under candle. I am thinking that they may have been harmed by the Permethrin. Sterling was absolutely crawling by day 17 so I had to treat hard.
Anyone brave enough to crack duds open?

 

[aart]

I doubt it was the permethrin.
I have done eggtospsies, I break eggs inside a bag and outside next to the garbage can, just in case.

This was stinker, stray egg found in yard.

 

[ValerieJ]

Raven quit, so a total of 3 eggs were set under Sterling.
I am fairly confident the eggs are beyond 21 days, and Sterling is sitting on quitters. Today is my last wait. She has shown some desire to leave the nest but I wanted to squeeze another few days out in case.

They look really well developed under candle. I am thinking that they may have been harmed by the Permethrin. Sterling was absolutely crawling by day 17 so I had to treat hard.
Anyone brave enough to crack duds open?

Not me. So sorry it didn't work out this time.

 

[nchls school]

I'm not sure how to block the box from others...maybe put plywood up, but that might get her stuck in there.
I'm all nervous since theres that one egg with obvious development. The game has stepped up lol, things are getting real.

Does the age of the hen affect their mothering abilities?
I have another bantam, tiny Sterling, who is doing the same behaviors that preceeded Raven committing to the nest. Might end up 2 broodies here. Sterling is so cutely positioned in the next favorite box, small top left made just for bantams.

I'll have to go get pics today.

I have serama bantams-age does not make a difference with them. I often have young pullets, no more than 6 months old, brood and raise chicks every bit as good as the older hens. I doubt there's a breed more broody than serama. Mine lay 6 to 10 eggs and then go broody. I have two brooding right now; one is 3 years old and the other isn't quite 6 months old. The young bird is far more protective of the nest than the older one.

Serama mature quickly often laying eggs between 5 and 6 months. Eight eggs seems to be the average clutch size and it doesn't take long for a clutch to be complete.

This is a small pullet (again less than 6 months old when brooding started) that the wife and I had in the house last winter. Her clutch was just 6 eggs; laid in a salad bowl under an overturned flower pot (tub in the kitchen). The roo kept her company the whole time.

 

[nchls school]

My newest mother hen/pullet-Ms. Sadie Serama and chicks. Sadie will be six months old in two days.

 

[ValerieJ]

Such precious pictures!!!