My first broody

[Thecowboysgirl]

I am sure this has been asked a million times, but can anyone please answer these questions for me. I have my first broody chicken, a BO. She has been on the nest for 3 days now so I started putting eggs under her.

We have a roo, who I have seen breeding the hens, and I have seen the white circle in the yolks that I believe indicates that at least some of them are fertile.

1. How soon have I got to put them under the broody? If I find one in the box that's less than an hour old but already cool, is it too late? Hubby says yes.

2. If I were to leave her with the flock will they certainly kill the chicks if she succeeds in hatching some?

I am trying to figure out how to build her a little section inside the coop with only her nest and her own food & water. Yesterday I took her eggs and she got off the nest box this morning to get food and got back on a different nest. I assume if I don't get her sectioned off with only the one nest with eggs she might get off them and get on the wrong nest and let them cool?

Is she unlikely to succeed since she's kinda young? I think they've only been laying a month or two.

 

[Thecowboysgirl]

And one more: can I only give her eggs from one day-- if she's sat on a few today and I give her another few tomorrow, then they would hatch on different days. This is bad?

 

[darin367]

you can put eggs under her that have been in the fridge for a week or 2.... i've done it..... i wouldn't put any more under her more than 2 days apart or they'll be hatching to far apart..... she'll raise them just fine with the flock.. they've been doing it longer than we've been "HELPING THEM"

 

[JEB NC 10]

We got our first chickens in Feb. - 3 Golden Comets. Had one go broody in June so we got her some fertilized eggs. I didn't have anywhere to put her separate from the other 2 girls. The eggs hatched on July 3/4, and the chicks have been in the coop/run ever since with absolutely no problems. In fact, when I'd let the out to free range the other 2 hens protected the chicks just as much as the momma hen did. They'll be just fine in the coop.