should I let my broody hen hatch eggs her first time being broody?

[mudpaw]

One of my hens decided to go broody on me (she has only been laying for about a month-she's about 7 months old ). She's a small gal (not a bantam-but small) and usually very flighty...today she she gave me one heck of a evil eye and a fuss and a half LOL I was planning on getting a few new chicks this spring but I though about letting her hatch some eggs for me instead (i have no roosters, so she's sitting on duds). So, should I put some fertile eggs under her or just let her ride it out until she gives up?

 

[gameboygal12]

I say let her hatch! I got a first time broody too and she's doing great! I put her in a roomy box in my basement so she don't get bothered from the other chickens. only 10 more days 'till they hatch!

 

[mudpaw]

good to hear

What's the best way to move her? I'd hate to get hatching eggs on the way and then have her flip out when I mover her and refuse to sit :<

 

[ChicknCharm]

Hello All!
My 8 month old silkies went broody. I ordered eggs from here (australorps), put them each in a seperate cage in the coop with a broody nest. I let them out every morning for just about one half hour and they pooped, scratched, took a dust bath...I fed them pecans if I had the time...then they went back in just like clockwork. I had to watch their nests and close the cage doors as ALL THE GIRLS wanted to lay in THOSE nests. Guess what? We had 100% hatch on the first and 7 out of 8 on the second. One egg was probably just not fertile, I could not candle them all. It is awesome, I have them both in the house with their peeping chicks. It is Spring inside for sure.

So, we had a really nice experience with the broody mamas. And it is really fun to watch the broodies be moms, so very cute....and so human.

 

[gameboygal12]

Quote:
I just brought the box filled with hay down to the chicken coop and gently put her eggs in it and put the hen on her eggs and carried her to the house. she seemed a little confused at first, but she figured out that her eggs were in her box eventually and sat on them. it really depends on the chicken though because some chickens are too stubborn and refuse to change nest.

 

[andalusn]

The nest / egg laying area in my hen house is more like a trough along the wall with a wooden wall that makes the one side to protect from the main floor of the coop and I bed it with fresh hay. Up until my hen went broody all of the 'girls" could share the space and they had two favorite places where they worked the hay into nice nest spots. The broody Cochin decided to take the nest in the corner closest to the door and away from the roosts. There she sat and seemed very content. I let her be and only removed her egges and the ones she stole from her neighbors as they were muts and replaced them with some purebred eggs from another group I have that don't get broody. She happily sat on those eggs until she hatched them. The only issue I noticed was one of my more bossy hens giving her heck for hogging the nest

and making her choose another spot. Then again Lucy has a lot to say everyday ....

The hen has been a great mom and she only started laying in November and went broody in Jan

so she was not in production long. Has no experience but Mother Nature did a good job on her mohter instincts and the peep is happy. This hen also lets other peeps use her as a temp mom or a warm wing to cuddle under.