RIR-What is she doing

[Al-D]

I need some advice. I have 1 RIR, 13 White Leghorns and a Leghorn Rooster. I have 6 nesting boxes-but most of the girls like to use only one of them. The other day the RIR was sitting on 8 eggs(only one was hers) and did not want to get off. I moved her out of the way to get the eggs-she pecked at me and was not happy. Next day same thing-so I thought maybe she was going broody and I would let her sit and see what happens. Now today she lets the other hens lay more eggs and shes sitting on at least 15 eggs. I thought once she was sitting she wouldn't let the other girls in her nest box. Any suggestions?

 

[Stiggy]

she is broody, the tell tale signs are there, I assume she fluffs up her feathers and makes a weird warning cry before you touch her? chances are she will not like being laid on but the others will continue to do so since that's the fave nest box and your RIR will keep happily collecting the eggs. if you want the to hatch/ to move her you need to get her out of that nest box so your girls can continue to lay normally

 

[Al-D]

Yes-that pretty much sums it up-I will try to move her tonight. Thanks!

 

[Al-D]

Got her and her two eggs moved last night-she was still sitting this morning.

 

[Stiggy]

Well that's good but she will need more than 2 eggs to sit on to make it worth her while as the 2 could be dud eggs and not hatch or die in the process

 

[Al-D]

I'm hoping she lays more over the next few days. I'm new to this and am pretty excited about her hatching a chick or two.

 

[Stiggy]

By this stage it's rare for them to be laying. Once they start sitting they have usually stopped. Besides if they are siting how are the eggs getting fertilized

 

[Al-D]

I was told that once she was "serviced" by the Rooster-it could fertilize eggs for the next week or so? I certainly am no expert but may slip a few other eggs under her and see what happens.

 

[Stiggy]

yes they do say that, it can last that long, but since he would be servicing everyday it would make sense to only keep the next 3-4 days eggs. like I said once to a certain stage of broodiness she will stop laying eggs, if she is at that point then lipping some more under her is a good idea. you don't however want 2 batches of eggs to far apart or they will be too far behind to hatch and she will get off with the first hatch and leave the other eggs

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I'm hoping she lays more over the next few days. I'm new to this and am pretty excited about her hatching a chick or two.

She WILL not lay more eggs until she is over her broodiness. Don't sweat it or try to force the issue, this is natures way as sure as the Sun rises in the East.

You should have no problem collecting 15 White Leghorn eggs within the next 48 hours. After removing the two eggs already under your RLR put 15 of the best looking (of the next two days worth) of your White Leghorn eggs under your RIR so that they will all pip and ultimately hatch at the same time. You should end up with 10-15 pure White Leghorn chicks (half of which are pullets) either to sell or to use as replacement pullets in your own flock.

What ever you do never stick fresh hatching eggs under an already setting hen like you were sticking quarters in a slot machine. Your odds of having a good or successful hatch that way are no better than your odds of hitting the slot jackpot in Vegas. That is why playing the slots in Vegas is not gambling, for it to be gambling you would have to have a chance of winning, well the same thing is true of trying to make a setting hen do a running incubation/hatch.