She's broody...I'm conflicted

[chalet girl]

I've got a broody double laced Orpington sitting on a couple of eggs. I have been thinking of adding a couple of hens to my flock anyway so why not give it a go raising my own. I'm thinking about letting her hatch them but I've got a couple of questions and concerns.

Will a chicken take eggs that the other hens lay to add to her clutch? She's been on the eggs for about 2 days now. She doesn't seem to be taking eggs from the other chickens (they all lay in the same large box).

If she's already sitting on two will she add more or is this her 'clutch'?

If I allow her to hatch the eggs can I keep her in with the other chickens? My rooster is good tempered and I think he and mom will protect the little ones from the other two hens I have. They have loads of space and are allowed to roam the entire property (11 ares, 1,000+ sq. yards) The 'coop' is a converted children's play house so, again, lots of room.

How soon, after hatching will I be able to tell roosters from hens? While I don't need another rooster I feel it is my duty to make sure the chickens I don't keep go to excellent homes. This should not be a problem. Plenty of people in Belgium keep chickens.

Are there any other things I need to know/consider?

I think she'll make a great mom. I've never seen a hen so puffed up on the nest! Most of all..I want to do the right thing!

 

[chelseachook]

1) My chickens usually do take other chicken's eggs. I usually mark the eggs that I want her to keep and then every morning collect the unmarked eggs. This is so I don't end up with 20 different aged eggs under her.
2) Mine will usually sit on what ever is in the nesting box.
3) A good mother will protect the chicks from bullies, but when they are really young, I put them in a large cage.
4) I don't know and usually just wait until they are adults. I think there are ways that you can tell when they are chicks. Something about their wing feathers.
5) Let the mum do her thing. Also, make sure that you have chick starter ready for the chicks.
Good luck!

 

[Mylied]

I've got a broody double laced Orpington sitting on a couple of eggs. I have been thinking of adding a couple of hens to my flock anyway so why not give it a go raising my own. I'm thinking about letting her hatch them but I've got a couple of questions and concerns.

Will a chicken take eggs that the other hens lay to add to her clutch? She's been on the eggs for about 2 days now. She doesn't seem to be taking eggs from the other chickens (they all lay in the same large box).

If she's already sitting on two will she add more or is this her 'clutch'?

If I allow her to hatch the eggs can I keep her in with the other chickens? My rooster is good tempered and I think he and mom will protect the little ones from the other two hens I have. They have loads of space and are allowed to roam the entire property (11 ares, 1,000+ sq. yards) The 'coop' is a converted children's play house so, again, lots of room.

How soon, after hatching will I be able to tell roosters from hens? While I don't need another rooster I feel it is my duty to make sure the chickens I don't keep go to excellent homes. This should not be a problem. Plenty of people in Belgium keep chickens.

Are there any other things I need to know/consider?

I think she'll make a great mom. I've never seen a hen so puffed up on the nest! Most of all..I want to do the right thing!

Yes she'll add more eggs if she can reach them. Remove new eggs every day.

I keep my broodys together with their flock. Mama protects the babies and my roosters have always been attentive to the chicks too. Disclaimer that the only ones who go broody are bantams with good temperments.

I start to be able to tell cockerels around 3 weeks and it becomes pretty obvious 6-7 weeks.

I feed everyone chick starter/grower when there are chicks in the coop. Or flock raiser. You can suppliment oyster shells. Watch open waterers because chicks like to get themselves in trouble. If they can drown in it, they will try their best to drown. Trust your broody. Instincts are usually pretty strong.

 

[chalet girl]

so I don't end up with 20 different aged eggs under her.

Watch open waterers because chicks like to get themselves in trouble. If they can drown in it, they will try their best to drown. Trust your broody. Instincts are usually pretty strong.

Thanks for the advice on chick starter and waterers! I've got the type with the reservoir on top and a shallow pan underneath. I imagine that's ok.

So...different aged eggs? How far apart can the eggs be? I thought they all hatched more or less at the same time but it makes sense now that they could hatch a couple of days apart. Yes? Sorry, for the many questions but I think I'm more nervous about this than I first thought.

How does it work?? She collects eggs for a number of days then starts sitting on them? If she's sitting on one now and it's two or three days older than the next one she collects is that an issue?

 

[chelseachook]

Thanks for the advice on chick starter and waterers! I've got the type with the reservoir on top and a shallow pan underneath. I imagine that's ok.

So...different aged eggs? How far apart can the eggs be? I thought they all hatched more or less at the same time but it makes sense now that they could hatch a couple of days apart. Yes? Sorry, for the many questions but I think I'm more nervous about this than I first thought.

How does it work?? She collects eggs for a number of days then starts sitting on them? If she's sitting on one now and it's two or three days older than the next one she collects is that an issue?

I mean that she could get new eggs every day. For example: if she is sitting on 15 day old eggs and then another chook lays an egg in the nest. She will sit on the new egg as well as the 15 day old ones and their hatching timelines will be all mixed up and different. After the first ones hatch she might then stop sitting on the new egg because she will think that it is too late compared to the time other eggs hatched. Then you might have to incubate the egg. When I was little, this happened to my duck because we didn't take the new eggs. She threw all of the different aged eggs into the duck pond thinking they were no longer viable. The duck was left with the four ducklings that hatched first.

 

[chalet girl]

What do you use to mark the eggs? permanent marker??...or?? Want it to stay on but not harm the embryos

 

[Mylied]

Thanks for the advice on chick starter and waterers! I've got the type with the reservoir on top and a shallow pan underneath. I imagine that's ok.

So...different aged eggs? How far apart can the eggs be? I thought they all hatched more or less at the same time but it makes sense now that they could hatch a couple of days apart. Yes? Sorry, for the many questions but I think I'm more nervous about this than I first thought.

How does it work?? She collects eggs for a number of days then starts sitting on them? If she's sitting on one now and it's two or three days older than the next one she collects is that an issue?

So, if she was by herself and making a nest she would lay a certain amount of eggs that she has in her mind as being the right amount. She wouldn't start sitting until she lays all the eggs she wants to lay. Then incubation starts. The eggs all hatch at roughly the same time. But when another hen is laying in the same area, she sees that egg and thinks it's one of hers that rolled out from under her, so she pushes it under her. That one doesn't start incubating until it is heated by her body. Staggered hatches are no fun. Usually a day or two after the first one hatches she will get off the rest and teach the chicks that hatched how to eat and drink. Marking the eggs she starts with and removing new eggs is the best thing you can do. You might get pecked in the hand as they can be protective, but I've not been injured by a broody. I check at night so I can candle too after a few days. Or if she gets up when you feed, you can check for added in eggs real quick.

 

[Mylied]

Imo, permanent marker won't hurt the embryos.

 

[chelseachook]

What do you use to mark the eggs? permanent marker??...or?? Want it to stay on but not harm the embryos

I use permanent marker. I have heard that it can contaminate the egg, but we haven't had problems with it so far. You might want to do more research into it... maybe there are certain brands that will hurt them? I don't know.

 

[chalet girl]

She wouldn't start sitting until she lays all the eggs she wants to lay. Then incubation starts.

Ok, so I took some eggs from her today and brought them into the house. She's only sitting on one right now. Can I put the eggs I took today back under her and just start removing new eggs from tomorrow or have I messed something up? If she's broody she's not laying so, if I want 5 eggs under her then how does that work?

Oh, and...she's really cute! She growls a lot and puffs her feathers but hasn't pecked me yet.

edited to say I've been pecked