Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[Wishing4Wings]

mortie, if you don't want Midge to go broody, start messing with her. Every time you go out, pull her off the nest, walk around with her, take a tour of the house, take her for a ride in the car, anything to interrupt the cycle before it gets serious. If she's not really broody, it won't hurry her and you guys get some bonding time.

If she sleeps in the box, it's more serious. Put her on the roost after dark, but breaking her will be harder. Exposure to light will help shift their hormones, so mandatory sunbathing is good.

When I got my Silkie, she was in full broody mode, and I wanted her to be broody, so we made an effort to put her in a cozy, dark nest box in the back of the car, covered her with a towel and kept the music quiet. 1½ hours later, when we got home, no more broody!

Took her a while to go broody again, but she's been sitting on the nest for almost two months now. Sounds like it's time for another road trip. And we'll take her 2 little Serama friends, too!! Bwahaha!

 

[TNchickmom]

Note to self, next time don't set so many dark eggs! I can't see diddly out of them to see if they are even growing.

 

[Scrambles55]

Note to self, next time don't set so many dark eggs! I can't see diddly out of them to see if they are even growing.

When do you expect them to hatch?? 2 more weeks?? I am old and cant remember s#!+.

 

[mortie]

DANG IT.

NOW I HAVE TWO BROODIES.

I am not sure if I mentioned it but last night at midnight I went out and 2 were sleeping in boxes. I was gone all day and the same two were camped out in the nests again. Dh said they were in there all day. Midge snarls at me when I open the lid. I dumped her out and she sat all broody on the ground for a few minutes before getting up, RUNNING to the grass, eating a few blades, expelling a monster poop and running back in. She'd broody for sure.

Maggie (I think it was) is on the way. She didn't return as quickly but she was in there all last night and all day today.

I only got TWO eggs bceause dh said he let them out today and with the nest boxes occupied, I believe the others laid under the deck. Penny and Wilson are the only eggs I got today.

To make matters worse, I am going to be gone all day tomorrow and sunday. I feel like I might as well stick those blue eggs under midge because I can't break her right now anyway so it's going to be a pain no matter what. FOR SCIENCE!

 

[mortie]

What should I do guys? Should the science eggs go in the bator or under a bird since I can't break them right now anyway? I can't even start breaking them til Sunday night. Help me decide.

 

[Scrambles55]

What should I do guys? Should the science eggs go in the bator or under a bird since I can't break them right now anyway? I can't even start breaking them til Sunday night. Help me decide.

Since she is so determined, let her do the work for you. You might have to give her a chick in a few weeks.

 

[topdycke]

What should I do guys?  Should the science eggs go in the bator or under a bird since I can't break them right now anyway?  I can't even start breaking them til Sunday night.  Help me decide.  

hit the hatching eggs bin and put her to work!

 

[chickenlindz]

Give em to the broody!!!!

Well I got supplies for processing the birds. I think I'm only going to do 3. The blue boy is actually pretty sweet. He never makes a fuss when I move him at night and isn't an obnoxious crower. So he'll get a stay and a week or two to see how he behaves w the girls as a lone boy.

 

[mortie]

ok before anyone makes any more suggestions about hatching eggs or chicks...

#1 I am already over my limit for chickens. Like my legal limit not just my chicken math limit...
#2 It is already getting really cold at night. 40's. Supposed to freeze this weekend. Goodbye mosquitoes.
#3 There is no hatching egg bin or chick sale going on (see #2)

So none of that is going to happen. Except in case of immaculate conception chick, these eggs will not develop I am just curious if they will do anything at all since they do appear to have blastoderms (or is it blastodiscs?). At most they might develop some haphazard veins and then throw in the towel.

Since Maggie is less broody than Midge, I went out and snatched her out of the box and stuck her on the roost. I don't need her either way and I am really hoping to discourage her.

midge is going to be a problem. She is already determined. I feel like I should have seen this coming. For at LEAST a week maybe two, I have noticed that she likes to chill in the box, but she was still doing other things too...and not sleeping in it. For at least a week she has been a little grumpy when she is disturbed. The Otheres just usually look at me curiously when I open the box and they're inside. Midge has been downright growly...but like I said, she has been also ranging and doing other things so I wasn't really thinking this way.

Plus...these are not really broody breeds. I know ANY chicken can go broody, but I didn't expect it would be a problem immediately. It's really kinda the wrong season and Maggie is either a RIR or a production red...something red. Midge is a true Ameracauna. They are 30 weeks old or so. Been laying about 6 weeks. I'm a little surprised.

REALLY?!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

My 2 true Ameraucanas are broody monsters! One went broody 3 separate times this summer. They get so hormonally crazed, they attack the dogs. Luckily my dogs are now good with the chickens, but a crazed broody flapping in their faces is a big temptation.

I would put the experimental eggs under Midge. Might as well put her to use since you won't be getting any eggs from her. Make sure you mark them in case someone lays in her nest or she steals others. Might reconsider if she is particularly bitey when you want to check how things are going.