Newbie wants to hatch with a broody

[TheOutcast]

Hi everyone, I got surprised with a broody hen this week and I want to hatch eggs with her! I know NOTHING about it, I probably couldn't even set the eggs without help! am I supposed to number them or something? how long does it take? how long do they have to stay with the broody hen before I can give them to the person I am hatching them for? PLEASE HELP!

 

[Ceilismom]

Many people prefer to isolate a broody from the rest of the flock for the 21 days it takes to hatch eggs.

If you don't isolate, you'd probably want to mark the eggs so that you can remove any extras that are laid in the nest. You run the risk of her leaving for food and water, and returning to sit in the wrong nest box this way. There is also the risk of other hens breaking the eggs that you want to hatch while trying to lay more eggs in her nest, or running the broody off the nest completely.

If the broody is isolated, I wouldn't think that you'd need to mark the eggs, unless you think you'll forget how long they've been under her.

She'll need food and water close by, and secure protection from predators.

Some people will toss her off the nest at least once a day to ensure that she eats, drinks, and poops away from the nest.

Others will trust her to look after herself, and just make sure that food and water is available.

Generally, don't give her eggs until she's shown that she'll stay on the nest at night instead of joining the rest of the flock to roost.

The chicks can be taken away as soon as they're done hatching, or left with the hen to raise them.

I'm sure I've forgotten something, but no doubt someone will chime in on what I missed.

 

[TheOutcast]

Many people prefer to isolate a broody from the rest of the flock for the 21 days it takes to hatch eggs.

If you don't isolate, you'd probably want to mark the eggs so that you can remove any extras that are laid in the nest. You run the risk of her leaving for food and water, and returning to sit in the wrong nest box this way. There is also the risk of other hens breaking the eggs that you want to hatch while trying to lay more eggs in her nest, or running the broody off the nest completely.

If the broody is isolated, I wouldn't think that you'd need to mark the eggs, unless you think you'll forget how long they've been under her.

She'll need food and water close by, and secure protection from predators.

Some people will toss her off the nest at least once a day to ensure that she eats, drinks, and poops away from the nest.

Others will trust her to look after herself, and just make sure that food and water is available.

Generally, don't give her eggs until she's shown that she'll stay on the nest at night instead of joining the rest of the flock to roost.

The chicks can be taken away as soon as they're done hatching, or left with the hen to raise them.

I'm sure I've forgotten something, but no doubt someone will chime in on what I missed.

thank you so much! so do you think a doggie box with food and water in it would be good to keep her in?

 

[Eggcessive]

I tried to isolate my silky in a dog crate in the coop when she went broody, and she went nuts and wouldn't sit. However she and the other 2 broodies are happy to sit in the nest boxes the whole 21 days to hatch. Then you can isolate her and babies, or not. If you are just experimenting for the first time, you could just let her be, date each egg, and see how it goes. Some will be pushed off their nest box by other hens and some won't. If I catch mine off their eggs an on others I just set her back on the right ones. My broody stayed with her babies for 4-5 weeks then wanted her freedom. The chicks were big enough to go back into the big coop in their own cage for a week or 2, then out with the others with supervision.

 

[TheOutcast]

I tried to isolate my silky in a dog crate in the coop when she went broody, and she went nuts and wouldn't sit. However she and the other 2 broodies are happy to sit in the nest boxes the whole 21 days to hatch. Then you can isolate her and babies, or not. If you are just experimenting for the first time, you could just let her be, date each egg, and see how it goes. Some will be pushed off their nest box by other hens and some won't. If I catch mine off their eggs an on others I just set her back on the right ones. My broody stayed with her babies for 4-5 weeks then wanted her freedom. The chicks were big enough to go back into the big coop in their own cage for a week or 2, then out with the others with supervision.

So if a dog crate doesn't work do you think a cardboard box with pine shavings in it would be good? I can't really let her use a nest box because I only have three nest boxes for a dozen hens and so I need all of them to be free for them to have space to lay.