New to backyard chickens

[Lizziebizzie91]

Hello everyone my name is Lizzie and I live in Kern County california. I am a first time chicken owner I took over an elderly couples flock when they could no longer care for them. My broody hen is laYing on a few eggs I have decided to let her try out her mothering skills. I have her separated from the flock in her own cage with her eggs. The problem I am having tho is one egg has hatched and she is caring for the chick bUT not returning to the unhatched eggs any advice? And can I place more fertilized eggs in her nesting box will that encourage her?

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi Lizzie and welcome to BYC - glad that you have joined us. I'm not sure that there is too much you can do but hopefully someone else can chime in with some suggestions. You could try asking on the hatch a long forum.

Good luck
Ct

 

[sunflour]

glad you have joined us.

I have no experience with any hatching, and hope someone shows up with advice.

But agree with CTKEN , do start a thread to question under the hatch a long forum.

But IMO if she has decided to leave the other eggs, I doubt adding more eggs will help?

 

[sumi]

Welcome to BYC

Glad you joined us! In my experience leaving the unhatched eggs in the nest and letting the hen return to the nest at night may be enough for the unhatched eggs. If you can get or rig up an incubator to hatch the rest of the eggs it would be ideal though. Placing more eggs in the nest is not going to sway her, as she's in mind to take care of the hatched chick now. Good luck!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi Lizzie

Glad you could join the flock! You have done good advice so I will say welcome and enjoy your time here on BYC. Here are some broody hen threads test I'm sure you would enjoy checking out ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/newsearch?search=Broody+hen#

Wishing you the very best of luck

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[drumstick diva]

If she is a first time broody sometimes they aren't sure what they should do. After a time or two, she will learn on the job. I doubt anything will make her go back to her eggs. AS others have suggested - you could try incubating them. Or maybe candle them first to see that the eggs are still viable. Sometimes the hen knows better than people do.