ok broody hen...should I get her some eggs to hatch?

[dwegg]

Please advise me BYC's....I have a broody girl now for a week and I was trying to break her of it as there are no eggs under her???? I took them....

I don't have a rooster as I live in the city. I wanted advice on whether or not I should get her some eggs to hatch for her own?

1. She has already been on the nest for a week...would she stay till the end? Is it too much to ask of her?

(I take her off the nest twice a day to eat and drink and exercise).

2. Should I wait till spring and see if she gets broody again?

3. Is it too cold now for babies? esp. since it would be my first set of babies?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Most broodies would do great even starting after a week or two. It is possible she will quit, especially as it is her first time, but broodies do not seem to know how to tell time. Whether she lasts or not depends on how strong her hormones are. I personally would be glad to set eggs under a broody that has been going a week. I'd expect her to finish.

You never know for sure if whe will go broody again or not. If you really want her to hatch, I'd get the eggs now and try. A good mama broody should be able to raise chicks in your climate in the winter. Her heater works in all kinds of weather and never runs out of electricity. I'm north of you and if I had a hen go broody nowI'd put some eggs under her and expect her to raise them.

I do suggest you keep trying to break her if you don't give her some eggs. I think the best way is to put her in some kind of raised wire bottomed cage for a few days, where her bottom can be cooled. Give her feed and water but no nest.

Since you live in the city and sound like you can't have roosters, I'm sure you are aware that half the eggs you hatch will probably be roosters. Do you have a plan to cover that? Also, do you have space or are you restricted to a certain number of chickens? Those are the reasons I'd maybe not let her hatch, not because of the weather.

Since it is your first time, let me give you a couple of links in case you decide to go for it. They might help or you might already know all this.

Isolate a Broody? Thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=213218

Raise with flock? thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=215937&p=1