Questions about a hen's clutch and settin

[Lady cluckington]

I have 3 hens and 2 roosters. Small coop for roositng only. They have a large pen and we also have 40 acres but they haven't ventured far. Other than a huge cedar tree they enjoy dust bathing under, they stay pretty close to the house or workshop. Don't know if any of that was necessary but anyway. On 8/23/17 we had our first egg and I've counted 13 today. Usually an egg day. I believe they're from the same hen, and I think she is an Austroloup . My question is how many more will she lay until she starts to set? If she stops laying for a day or two does that mean she's done? How long should i give her before we try to get an incubator and go that route? I'm new at this so any advice would be helpful.

 

[Pork Pie]

Since she's just started laying, she may not go broody for a while. I'd be inclined to collect / eat the eggs and observe her behaviour. Signs of broodiness include sitting in a nest box for extended periods of time - gradually leading to 24 hour sitting and puffing her feathers up and "growling" and pecking at you if you disturb her.

First eggs can be a little smaller and I've read that this can affect embryo development.

Maybe give her a couple of months, and then think about getting an incubator, is she does not go broody. Just my thoughts...

 

[Lady of McCamley]

An Australorp is an excellent laying hen, so overall they are not particularly a broody type (otherwise they wouldn't have the egg numbers they are clocked for per year).

So it is possible your Australorp will never go broody. Commercial lines have been selected for laying over generations, so brooding (which isn't laying) is selected against.

Not that a commercial line Australorp won't go broody. It does happen.

If so, there is no rhyme or reason (literally...a broody hen has very little reasoning, just hormones). Usually the larger breeds go broody in spring if they go broody. Some breeds are notorious for being frequent brooders, and I've had Silkies go broody at 4 months of age. My Cochins, I think were 8 months.

As to incubating eggs, you can do that any time. I would give your eggs a bit more time to stabilize before setting as they are new pullet eggs. Pullet eggs will get larger as they grow a bit older. Don't set very small or very large eggs.

It only takes about 2 days after exposure to a rooster for the eggs to begin to be fertile. One mating will last a hen for at least 2 weeks, sometimes longer (breeders isolate a hen for 30 days), but after that they need to mate again to remain having fertile eggs. (Which the roos are happy to accommodate, regularly).

So in answer to your question, there is no way of knowing if you got the luck of the draw and have a broody type Australorp. If you do, she will likely go broody in spring, although she could sooner.

You will know she is ready to set eggs because she will find a nice nest and sit there 24/7, puffing up and hissing at anyone who dares to look in her direction. She will get up once a day to eat/drink and poo one ginormous poo (the broody poo) that is especially stinky, then she will go right back to the nest to stare off into space in a trance (puffing again at anyone who dares to come near her).

If you do get a brooding hen, it is best to isolate her in her own nice, dark, nest, so that others don't tromp on the developing eggs or push her off the nest. It is best too that she has easy access to and from that nest, and only that nest, so she doesn't get confused and go sit somewhere else.

If you get to that point, there is an excellent Broody Hen thread on BYC. Come on over and join the fun

LofMc

 

[Lady of McCamley]

BTW...your hen to rooster ratio is too low.

Generally 1 rooster can service 10 hens easily.

With 2 boys, and only 3 girls, it is likely your hens will be over mated. You will recognize that by the wear and tear on the girls feathers.

LofMc