but I overthink things and like to plan ahead...my husband will tell you WAY ahead. I am getting a couple of breeds specifically because they are known to go broody. My goal is to occasionally have a broody or two who will hatch her own and others' eggs. I have looked but haven't found the answer to my specific questions which are: "If and when a hen goes broody, do you then have time to find and secure eggs from other sources?" And if you want her to try to hatch her own fertile eggs as well as some of some other chickens which you don't have on hand yet...how do you do that, time that etc? How do you insure they all hatch the same day? Thanks
Yes you will have time to get eggs from other sources. You can store her eggs up to a week while you are collecting other eggs. The only problem you may have is you wont know when she is going to go broody and once she does she wont lay eggs anymore. So chances are you wont have her eggs to put under her.
Uhhh...I don't think you can arrange for her eggs and later eggs to hatch together unless you secure the new eggs within two or three days if you leave hers with her while awaiting the others. What you CAN do is TAKE her eggs - she will stay broody if she IS broody (some folks have hens brooding on NOTHiNG, or on golf balls), store the until you get the other eggs, then put them all uber her at the same time. That's my take on it.
