Putting eggs under a broody

[Morrigan]

Thank you. I think I’ll leave things alone and let her parent the solo Speckled Sussex and pray it’s a pullet. When can I expect her to show it out of the nest box? I haven’t seen her leave yet but I’m only in the coop a few times a day.

It depends on the hen. Some get them out within 24 hours, some hang out up to 3 days. It also depends on what is going on in the nest. A lot will linger over unhatched eggs. If I understood your prior posts correctly, there are no more eggs under her? If so, I would expect her to make her exit soon.

And, pictures please, if you are able. I love seeing a new broody with her chick(s).

 

[pennyJo1960]

First marans chick out surprised me went to close them in lifted to see about silky eggs
oops baby photo's in the morning

 

[pennyJo1960]

Big black garbage bags can be cut to work in bad weather

 

[pennyJo1960]

I am not aware of Australorps or Leghorns having good reputations as broody hens, so I will offer this experience. Two years ago one of my Crevecoeurs started setting on eggs, both hers and her sisters' eggs, so she was setting on quite a pile. I kept an eye on her, because setting behavior is rare in Crevecoeurs. Sure enough, she killed the first baby that hatched. She probably thought it was a mouse or other predator. I fired up the incubator and moved all the rest of the eggs to the warmed up incubator. Of the 19 eggs she was setting on, 18 hatched, including the one she killed, and only one was an early loss. So, pretty amazing broody, but no good as a mother.
When chickens are selected to not be broody, you don't know what parts are missing of their "programming" to raise their next generation. This goes for roosters, too. Until you are certain that a particular hen or roo is good with chicks, make no assumptions, especially if the breed is reputed to be non-setter. And be prepared with an incubator or brooder box to step in, if you are serious about raising chicks.

Had to look the bird up sorry was raised on a farm we had white leghorn and rode island reds had to get them 40 years later to find out many more types now

 

[MROO]

I am not aware of Australorps or Leghorns having good reputations as broody hens, so I will offer this experience. Two years ago one of my Crevecoeurs started setting on eggs, both hers and her sisters' eggs, so she was setting on quite a pile. I kept an eye on her, because setting behavior is rare in Crevecoeurs. Sure enough, she killed the first baby that hatched. She probably thought it was a mouse or other predator. I fired up the incubator and moved all the rest of the eggs to the warmed up incubator. Of the 19 eggs she was setting on, 18 hatched, including the one she killed, and only one was an early loss. So, pretty amazing broody, but no good as a mother.
When chickens are selected to not be broody, you don't know what parts are missing of their "programming" to raise their next generation. This goes for roosters, too. Until you are certain that a particular hen or roo is good with chicks, make no assumptions, especially if the breed is reputed to be non-setter. And be prepared with an incubator or brooder box to step in, if you are serious about raising chicks.

I have Nankin Bantams, a breed noted for being great broodies and wonderful mothers. One of my best hens (a beautiful lady!) goes broody pretty regularly, but can't be trusted to hatch chicks. She's fine as long as she has to do is set, but as soon as those nasty little fuzzy things start breaking her eggs, she goes nuts! She is no longer allowed to set, and we keep her away from other babies, as well. If she wasn't so pretty - and such a good layer, she'd be retired, by now!

 

[lutherpug]

Well, here's the update. I candled the 7 eggs in my incubator and it appears that we have 3 clears and 4 potential blood rings. I'm not going to candle the remaining 8 eggs that Astrid is sitting on until tomorrow night but I hope those eggs have a higher success rate than the ones I held back for incubation indoors.

If I somehow ended up with 15 dud eggs I'll have to decide if I want to try to trade out the eggs for a few day old chicks or if I just try to break her. I kind of hate to break her after she's been broody for going on 2 weeks. Hopefully she is sitting on at least a few viable eggs.

 

[aart]

Any drawbacks to her only having a single chick to raise? I have 6 silkies that are probably a few days old in my brooder that I could give her as well.

Not really.
You could try to graft the silkie chicks, but it's risky.