so on May 20th I had one hen stay in the nest box that night. she went broody so has only done her quick breaks...
On May 23rd another one went broody about mid day........
I want to hatch BBS Cochin and my blue hen isn't laying since she is a mama. So I ordered eggs on ebay and put them under my hens on May 28 with a hatch date of June 18 (so one right about 4 weeks of being broody and 1 a couple days short of 4 weeks)
NOW here is my problem I checked today on day 4 and it doesn't look like a single ebay egg is doing anything. I am still hoping it is early but I am a bit doubtful on this as I also gave each one 1 egg from my girls just to see if mine are fertilized this time...... Well 1 of those eggs is developing great....
My Blue Hen seems to be gearing up to start laying again as my roo has started to mate her, She started roosting (with out her babies) last night, and went in the nest box today and came out singing the egg song but never laid. LOL If she starts laying soon and the shipped eggs don't develop or if only a couple do I could swap the 1 egg that is doing something and any others that start to develop over to 1 broody and set some of my girls eggs under the other. But that would mean that one of them would be sitting for 5+ weeks...... Is that too long for them?
They mainly only go out once every other day with the rare time they will go out 2 days in a row. I have tried to bring them treats in the nest boxes and they refuse to touch them. I don't want to harm them by making them sit too long. So should I give them eggs if she starts laying soon or just let them sit on these eggs (or replace with fake eggs if these do nothing) and hope they give up sitting around the 3-4 week mark????
On May 23rd another one went broody about mid day........
I want to hatch BBS Cochin and my blue hen isn't laying since she is a mama. So I ordered eggs on ebay and put them under my hens on May 28 with a hatch date of June 18 (so one right about 4 weeks of being broody and 1 a couple days short of 4 weeks)
NOW here is my problem I checked today on day 4 and it doesn't look like a single ebay egg is doing anything. I am still hoping it is early but I am a bit doubtful on this as I also gave each one 1 egg from my girls just to see if mine are fertilized this time...... Well 1 of those eggs is developing great....
My Blue Hen seems to be gearing up to start laying again as my roo has started to mate her, She started roosting (with out her babies) last night, and went in the nest box today and came out singing the egg song but never laid. LOL If she starts laying soon and the shipped eggs don't develop or if only a couple do I could swap the 1 egg that is doing something and any others that start to develop over to 1 broody and set some of my girls eggs under the other. But that would mean that one of them would be sitting for 5+ weeks...... Is that too long for them?
They mainly only go out once every other day with the rare time they will go out 2 days in a row. I have tried to bring them treats in the nest boxes and they refuse to touch them. I don't want to harm them by making them sit too long. So should I give them eggs if she starts laying soon or just let them sit on these eggs (or replace with fake eggs if these do nothing) and hope they give up sitting around the 3-4 week mark????
