RIR-What is she doing

[chickengeorgeto]

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.

better make that 5 days.

However no matter how many times she has been serviced by you rooster the likely hood of her laying more than one or two eggs after she takes to her nest is at best remote. From your posts it seems to me like the two eggs have already been laid.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

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

She will also be antsy to be on her way with the mother hen business she has with her oldest or first hatched chicks. Then even if you confine her to the nest, in her impatience she will trample all of your chicks (even the oldest) into little fluffy chick-pucks. Neither reasoning with her or talking to her kindly or screaming at her in a loud and profane voice will have any effect.

 

[Al-D]

Looks like I am back where we started. She moved from the first box I put her in to a second and is now back in the "favorite" box that most of the girls like. They keep laying eggs on her and I think she is sitting on at least a dozen now-none of them are hers as she quit laying. My plan is to move her completely out and into her own private coop with the eggs she is now sitting on. Not sure if this is a good idea or not?

 

[Tuhmu]

Sounds like you are having quite the broody hen adventure!

Here's what I did with my two latest broodys doing the same thing. I put a piece of chicken wire across the front of the nest box and let her out 1-2 times a day. Since she is broody she would only be getting off about that much anyway. This keeps her from switching nests and keeps the others from sneaking her some more eggs. After letting the hen out for about 15 min she would start to make her way to the nest again (sometimes the would pick the wrong one though, so make sure to check on her).

 

[Tuhmu]

Example photo of my broody. I think she actually preferred it too, since the others couldn't bother her and believe me they wanted too. They angrily muttered and clucked amongst themselves about that wire for a long time. All the while the broody hen gives them that mocking look.

 

[rickchick]

how long do they go brooding I have no men the house and one of my 6 girls seems to wanting to just set on the nest. when I take her off the other chase her and she gets her feather all puffed up. there are other nest but they love only one. one of them laid just in front of box. any suggestions