New Mother laid an egg.

[ScoobyRoo]

I have an 8 mo. old BO/LH hen that went broody and let her hatch out 2 chicks exactly a month ago. To my surprise when letting her and the chicks out this morning, there was an egg in there. I did not expect her to start laying again til spring. My question since this happened, what are the chances of her going broody again? I know all breeds differ but is this something she will do (how often) or will she wait til the chicks are older and more on their own? She is our first broody and has taught us a lot. Meaning babies CAN survive in 5 degree weather with MaMa. So again, I ask will she go broody soon or it is one of those individual thing?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts and/or expereince.

 

[tazcat70]

Is she the only hen that can get to that nest? I have had hens pile in to lay eggs.

Mine usually wait 6 weeks before laying again.

 

[ScoobyRoo]

Yep, She is locked in with the chicks. I know the chicks are not laying yet.

I also heard her doing the "laying an egg" song that I thought she was singing with another hen at the time. But she must have been doing it for herself.

 

[onthespot]

by "chicks" you must mean fully feathered out younger birds you are growing out, not fluffy, peeping balls of feathers that sleep in her feathers? She is just cycling back normally if they are older chicks.

 

[ScoobyRoo]

Quote:
Yes, they are a month old now. But I just assumed and heard that they may not lay for quite some time. I just hope she doesn't go broody again. Even though it was fun, I'm not ready till spring.

 

[onthespot]

keep pulling the new eggs she lays every day, asap, and if she looks broody, put her away in a wire cage with no sort of cuddly aspect to it at all. Wire on all six sides, bright light, no hint of darkness or protected areas. The sooner you cage her, the fewer days she will spend thinking about brooding and the sooner she will get back to laying.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
This method worked for me.

 

[ScoobyRoo]

So far so good. I've been collecting the eggs she lays. When I'm home, Mother and chicks get to free range and she has not been acting broody. I have noticed that she leaves the chicks further behind while foraging.

 

[roocrazy]

well she could go broody again because my duck had five babes left an started killing them so the next day i couldnt find her, i finally fond her sitting on 10 eggs

btw the du ckling were only 3 weeks