Question about Broody Chicken

[Amp]

I have 6 chickens and they are all 9 months old. I have an EE that has gone broody. She has been in the nesting box for 3 days. I keep taking her out and she will go run around yelling for a few minutes and drink then go back in the box. I haven't decided if I want to separate her yet or let her hatch an egg. I do not have a Rooster but could ask on my local board if anyone has a fertilized egg. My brother has turkeys and he has 16 eggs right now. He suggested I let her hatch one of those. Would that work? Would she know the difference? Would the other hens try to kill it if it does hatch? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Mrs. K]

you have a couple of options:

find some fertilize eggs - she will hatch them, but add them all at once. and mark them with a pencil, cause sometimes, another hen will try and add eggs. I think the turkey would work, but am not sure.


Or you can just let her set, and when it gets close to 20 days, slip some day old chicks under her at night from the feed store.

I like to leave my broody with the flock, there are no reintroduction problems that way, but I free range my layers most days, and have not had real problems with the other hens attacking the babies. My broody hens have all had a broody attitude, and the others left her and her chicks alone for the most part.

If you move her, sometimes that will break the broody, or sometimes she will go back to "her" nest.

Mrs K

 

[nurse_turtle]

Give her a couple turkey eggs.