Putting eggs under broody

[JackieK318]

I'm getting some eggs early this week from another BYC member (THANK YOU!) to put under my RIR that has gone broody. She is only about 1 year old. Any advice or thoughts on how to go about doing this? I have never done this before, so any wisdom including basic instructions would be greatly appreciated!!!

P.S. She currently has a clutch in the woods, which I found this morning. She keeps turning the eggs like she should, but I'm sure they're bad by now as it's been below freezing at night (she comes in at night). How should I go about setting her on eggs inside the coop? Should I keep her in the coop for a couple of days to see if the adopts the eggs?

 

[Tuffoldhen]

My broodys always start to set in one of the nestboxes in the henhouse....after I have determined that she really wants to set a clutch of eggs I put them under her in the evening and watch her for a few days...then lift her with the nextbox (plastic bin), and set her in a wire dog crate with food and water...setting her there in the evenings she is less likely to get up and make too much of a fuss....works for me...

 

[JackieK318]

She wasn't on the nest when I got home from Lowes and the eggs were cold. I picked up the eggs from her spot in the woods and put them in a basket with shavings in the coop, where she usually lays on the floor (before she went broody). I'll see if she decides in the morning to sit on the basket - maybe she'll recognize her eggs, maybe not. I hope this works with the adopted eggs.

 

[edster951]

when my girl goes broody I just buy fertile eggs and stick them under her. She takes to them like they are her own.

 

[lurky]

Did you mark the eggs to tell them apart in case your own get mixed in with them? A broody will keep taking every egg she can get under her and then some. So if she does this, you might decide to take some back and will want to know whats what. just a thought, maybe they are different color anyway....but when i let mine hatch eggs that was what i ran into for a problem. I hope it works out. Good Luck

BTW, What are the eggs you are going to hatch?

 

[JackieK318]

Thanks! I'll have to get the leather gloves and long sleeves. She's been puffing up at me, so I wouldn't doubt she'd peck at me. Thanks for telling be before I had an omelet situation.

I'm getting some BO, Easter Eggers, BR crosses, so I'm eggcited!!!

What if she abandons the eggs? Do I stick them in the incubator?

 

[lurky]

If you have to put them in the incubator, yes....but they will get off the eggs for small amounts of time to eat,drink and poop. So dont panic unless she does not go back for a half hour or so. Mine would not stay off more than 10 or 15 minutes once every morning. Also, if you end up having to use the incubator but then see her staying on nest....you can always put them back.

 

[ams3651]

Not sure how you all feel about this but an old time book i got from the library actually has putting a broody hen in a box like structure she cant get out of, she can get food and water but cant wander too far. Looks like you put it in the pen just so she is separate.

 

[lurky]

Quote:
That good. I put mine in a rabbit cage so the chicks were safe when they hatched and could not go out of the coop because its still winter here. Makes sense to me

 

[JackieK318]

I bought an incubator today just in case. We'll see. She didn't sit on the eggs I brought in, but was sitting on a new clutch in the corner (her egg, Black Hen's and Lucy's).