Nutmeg and Chestnut are sitting on their eggs!Tips?

[Nan5634]

My favorite hen and my favorite bantam are sitting on their eggs! Today I went to the coop and there were my favorite bantam rooster and hen sitting in one of our boxes together. So I seized the opportunity and put them in a cage together.So I went down later(I have a lot of time on my hands) and there was an egg underneath my precious bantam, Chestnut. So I moved them to an old rabbit hutch, gave them water and food, and the rooster layed next to the hen! Anyways, I would like some tips about egg sitting. Another story, my precious Nutmeg, who I love dearly, is sitting on eggs. How long does it take eggs to hatch? Will normal "I don't know what they are" hens sit on other chickens eggs? When do I take the rooster out? What will the hen do with her chicks? Protect them? Leave Them? Thanks for any answers!

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[Chirpy]

First: Welcome to BYC!

You should take the Rooster out now. Momma hen doesn't need him for anything anymore and it could cause problems leaving him there.

Broody hens just pretty much need to be left alone in a safe place with their nest of eggs. They will sit on any type of egg -they don't know any better. People hatch out ducks and other breeds of chickens all the time using a Broody.

Eggs hatch in 21 days (sometimes a day sooner or later). Your Broody will sit there for that entire time, only getting up to go for a drink of water, get something to eat and poo. She will probably only leave her nest once a day to do those things. You may not see her leave. Occasionally a Broody will refuse to even leave her nest and you may need to take her food and water.

Having her already separated into the rabbit hutch is perfect. Just let her stay there until the eggs hatch. Then, keep her and the chicks in a safe place (away from other chickens and the Roo) until they are older. Momma hens are great protectors but sometimes just can't keep all her young ones out of the sights of other chickens. Other chickens may want to kill the babies. Some people let them back into the flock right away but from what I've learned I wouldn't do that. It's not worth the risk in my book.

After the chicks are a few weeks old then you could add them back to the flock with their momma but give them someplace to be able to run away to and hide (have a small fenced off area that only the chicks can get into).

I'm sure people with real experience will chime in and give you more/better ideas.

I'm expecting my first Broody hatch in three days!

 

[Nan5634]

He is an outcast "roo"

and no one likes him. (Poor Boy) So my first idea was to get him to bond with a hen so they will stick around each other. My bigger hen Nutmeg is just in the coop and can fly out anytime she wants.(Bad Roosters jump her though)(EVERY TIME) I should put her somewhere too. Right?

 

[Chirpy]

If you can, then yes I would give her a safe, quiet place to sit on her nest eggs.

 

[Nan5634]

Thanks for your help!

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[Nan5634]

I moved her, but she sits NEXT to the eggs! What should I do?

 

[Chirpy]

Sorry Nan - didn't see this till now. If she still isn't sitting on her eggs then all you can do is literally move her onto them and see if she stays.

I just don't have enough personal experience in this area yet to offer you better ideas. I'm hoping someone else here will see this and chime in.