Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[ChickenCrazed]

I have a very broody Brahma hen that is sitting on a nest of infertile eggs....UGH...I have taken them away and she just returns to the nest when the other girls lay eggs in the nest...Ok so now for my question!

I have Silkie eggs due in the mail tomorrow and I am wondering if I should give these eggs to my broody hen?...Is this too risky?...I have never had a hen to give my eggs to so I have always used the incubator...Any advice would be really appreciated!

Thanks all!

 

[Alexander]

You're telling me...

If you asked me 2 months ago I would KILL for a broody hen.

Now I have two broodies and no fertile eggs because I don't have a mature rooster yet.

 

[hillbillycitygirl]

we have all kinds of crazy going on here...I moved my two broodies to brooder boxes and they are NOT happy with me. I left them alone about a half hour ago and I am going to go pop in there and see if things are settling down.

Total score today, I met up with a fellow BYC member and she gave me a dozen fertile eggs (EExDelaware and Delaware eggs) and she gave me a beautiful lavender orpington cockerel. I lost one of my Roos the other day...he fought to the death and kept the ladies safe (from who knows what but the rest of my chickens were just fine) He is so pretty...I have two buff orpingtons, so I cant wait to make some babies in a few months!!! (ps. Im asking for a incubator for christmas)

 

[hillbillycitygirl]

Quote:
soo sorry, I have two broodies and boy are they PMS-ing.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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I'd give her the silkiie eggs, she'll do just fine and be a great mama. Congrats!! slip out the ones she's sitting on and slip the silkie eggs under her, do this at night that way she is in broody lala land lol and won't even notice.

 

[ChickenCrazed]

Quote:
I'd give her the silkiie eggs, she'll do just fine and be a great mama. Congrats!! slip out the ones she's sitting on and slip the silkie eggs under her, do this at night that way she is in broody lala land lol and won't even notice.

'

Oh thank you so much for responding...I moved her to a brooder pen (4x4x2foot high) along with some of the eggs she had been sitting on ...gave her her own water and feed close to the nest box and she climbed right in and hunkered down on them....I will make a swap with the eggs in the evening as you suggested...I am hoping she doesn't break any of them because of her size...I did make sure to give her a nice cushion of shavings!...I hope this works!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
I'd give her the silkiie eggs, she'll do just fine and be a great mama. Congrats!! slip out the ones she's sitting on and slip the silkie eggs under her, do this at night that way she is in broody lala land lol and won't even notice.

'

Oh thank you so much for responding...I moved her to a brooder pen (4x4x2foot high) along with some of the eggs she had been sitting on ...gave her her own water and feed close to the nest box and she climbed right in and hunkered down on them....I will make a swap with the eggs in the evening as you suggested...I am hoping she doesn't break any of them because of her size...I did make sure to give her a nice cushion of shavings!...I hope this works!

we'll be pulling for her.!!!

 

[lightfoot]

One of our broody silkies just hatched our first home made chicken this morning. we have two silkies sitting, each have around a dozen eggs. Many of them stolen from other hens, including orpington.

 

[KWAK]

I found 2 Broodies today
1-IB peahen (not sure how many eggs...
1-White legghorn had 20 eggs 17 formed... today is day 11?

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Thats great! Congrats and keep us updated!!!