Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[SilkiesForEver]

Well my broody is doing well.
We transfered fertile eggs that we had in the incubator under her while she was out eating and now instead of sitting on three golf balls and two non fertile eggs, she is sitting on eight fertile eggs.
Also I heard that the hen can lay fertile eggs for 10 days and then the rest are not fertile but, she has 10 days worth of eggs and they are all fertile, I candled the two eggs that were not layed within the 10 days and one in fertile! Can she lay fertile eggs for more than ten days??
All the eggs she is sitting on are hers.

 

[stonykill]

Well my broody is doing well. We transfered fertile eggs that we had in the incubator under her while she was out eating and now instead of sitting on three golf balls and two non fertile eggs, she is sitting on eight fertile eggs. Also I heard that the hen can lay fertile eggs for 10 days and then the rest are not fertile but, she has 10 days worth of eggs and they are all fertile, I candled the two eggs that were not layed within the 10 days and one in fertile! Can she lay fertile eggs for more than ten days?? All the eggs she is sitting on are hers.

fertile for 10 to 30 days (although I think the 30 is stretching it) since the last time a Rooster "fertilized her" So if she lives with a rooster she will probably always lay fertile eggs

 

[SilkiesForEver]

Oh okay......thank you.
We do have a cockerel but he is not quite breeding age, so she is not laying any eggs fertilized by him. So she could lay fertile eggs for 15/20 days?

 

[stonykill]

Oh okay......thank you. We do have a cockerel but he is not quite breeding age, so she is not laying any eggs fertilized by him. So she could lay fertile eggs for 15/20 days?

it is possible yes. I'm sure with each passing day the chances of fertility are less

 

[littlechicklet]

For the first time ever I have 2 broody hens

They are suppose to be Black Copper Maran crosses but I don't know. They are sisters and set for the first time this year (they are 3 years old). They hatched a total of 13 chicks (lost 2). They are with EE's and a Rhode Island White. Out of the 11 chicks 1 appears to be from the Maran X and 1 from the RIW the rest are EE's and the rooster is an EE.

My question is will they get broody again after they leave the chicks? I would like to buy some fertilized eggs & have at least one of them hatch the babies.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

They can go broody again, sure, predicting it is like predicting the weather though. Some are like clockwork, some aren't. Once you know your hen you may get a good idea, but it will probably be closer to four or five weeks before she even weans her chicks, then maybe another month before she broods again. For those with professional broodies, could be sooner.

 

[SteeleFaithFarm]

Ok I am sure all my questions have already been answered in this thread but I do not have the time to look at all the parts in this thread. I would like to make a "breeding" coop for my birds. Right now I have an 8x12 shed as my coop and my birds free range. I want to build a pen that I can put selected roosters and hens into. if I make it 8x12 out of 2x4 framing with chicken wire and put in a nest box that is weather proof, how many birds canI put in there? I figured if they are just shooting in nesting boxes I could put somewhere between 6 and 12. Any suggestions? Also how long does it take for a hen to hatch a clutch? Does it take longer since she lays one egg at a time?

 

[prairie]

love this pic!!! Everyone is peeking out at you!!

"mama is letting us stay up late after a busy day of free ranging. Our lil sister already went to sleep under mama"

 

[stonykill]

They can go broody again, sure, predicting it is like predicting the weather though. Some are like clockwork, some aren't. Once you know your hen you may get a good idea, but it will probably be closer to four or five weeks before she even weans her chicks, then maybe another month before she broods again. For those with professional broodies, could be sooner.

I have one who is a proffessional.

Like wrangler said, you will get to know your girls and see it coming

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Stoneykill every time I see the ducks on your avitar I want some...I had a dream last night I rented a bull dozer and made a pond where a spring flows over the hill...when I woke up I realized that is where the septic files is...I need to find a different spot.S