Ok, so I'm not new to BYC, been here for a year. BUT, I have my first broody hen and I've got some questions. I'm very excited to have a broody. First: She started sitting about a week ago. Of course, I don't have a Roo (well, he got here yesterday but he's only 2 days old!) So, she's been sitting on .... nothing! No eggs under her. I thought she had eggs under her but when she got up there weren't any. She did move over to a nest a couple of days ago that had five eggs laid by my other hens but then (after I took those eggs, she moved back to her 'favorite' nest box and is still sitting tight). corancher (a wonderful BYCer) is sending me some fertile eggs. I think they will get here tomorrow or not till Monday. How do I put the eggs under her (my broody - not corancher)? Should I just get them under her as soon as I bring them home? OR, should I wait until night and slip them under her?
If she's broody I'm sure she'll welcome the eggs to sit on!! Try and put them under her when you get them, if it doesn't work, do it at night.....
How exciting! When my cousins hen went "broody" we moved her and her box to a separate "hutch" (it was an older goose or duck house) and then put the eggs that were laid that day under her and then put the eggs that were laid the following day under her. She was so into being "broody" that she was thrilled to have the eggs. Nothing seemed to faze her. After 1 week we pulled out 5 or so of the eggs. We attempted to "candle" them, but because they were brown, we had trouble seeing anything. We waited another week and pulled out some more. At this point we were able to see a "mass" if you will in a couple of the eggs. They chicks hatched exactly 21 days to the day. If I remember correctly 8 out of the 14 eggs we put under her hatched. 2 or 3 of them were fully formed chicks that had died and the others were just "rotten". *Just a note, when we pulled out the eggs, we used latex gloves. We didn't know why at the time, it just seemed like the right thing to do. I would put/leave some eggs under her right now and then make the switch with the fertile eggs when you get them. She shouldn't care at all. I am so excited for you!!!!!! Good luck! Please keep us informed on the progress.