Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[popcornpuppy]

OK my Dellie friends, I need help/advise.

I take very good care of all of my chickens, but my Dels get SPECIAL treatment. I have 2 Del roos in with 8 Del girls and with 1 EE and 3 brown Leghorns. I wanted enough girls to keep my Del boys happy. (and since the EE lays green eggs and the leghorns lay white, I know which eggs are the Del eggs.) All of the girls in that coop use the same nesting box to lay thier eggs. I don't mind because all of the eggs are easy to collect, every one uses a box, and no eggs on the floor.
I never disturb my Del girls when they are laying to check for eggs. They even have a privacy curtain over the nesting boxes.
So today I checked twice for eggs, and each time I peeked in there was someone on the nest. One time there was even one Del and a Leghorn in there together. So I decided to collect the eggs when I did "chicken round up" at sunset. Well, there was still a Del in the box, so I thought maybe she just decided to lay her egg late today. Then at chickie bed time, 10 PM local time-when I turn out the coop lights and do final check for the night, there was still a Del on the nest!!!!!!!!!
I checked under her and she had the days eggs under her all nice and toasty. I took the white and green eggs out from under her and left the rest. She was so sweet and did fuss when I reached under her. Could she be going broody? Every night they all roost when I put them in at sunset. This is the first time I have seen any one off the roost and in a box this late at night. I hope she is going broody because I don't want her to be acting this way because she might be sick or something.

So, what do you think, posible broody?
Did I read something several days ago about Kira being from broody lines?
Tell me something to calm my worry about my Del sweetie!

 

[shelleyb1969]

One of my girls had me thinking the same thing last week, popcornpuppy. She sat in the nest box all day and threw a real fuss when I looked under her. I was in a frantic trying to round up some eggs for her because I was collecting my Del eggs for orders. Needless to say...she changed her mind. But now, every time I just look at her in the nest box she fusses at me.

 

[kathyinmo]

Well, Delawares are heritage, and it is very possible that they would go broody.

OOOOhhhhhhhh, I hope you have a broody!!!!

 

[shelleyb1969]

I sure could use a big fluffy butt broody myself...but I'd rather it not be one of my Del girls. At least not until I get orders filled.

I'm considering getting some honkin' huge standard Cochins to serve as permanent incubators for me.

 

[popcornpuppy]

I agree with with you Shelleyb. I have to ship some eggs on Monday and I can't afford to lose a good layer at this exact moment. But I kind of hope she is going broody because then I would know she not acting weird because she was sick.

 

[shelleyb1969]

I really think yours is doing the same thing mine did...she's THINKING about it. Especially since she had a nice clutch of eggs under her.

 

[popcornpuppy]

I hope she stops thinking, and makes up her mind

I can live with a broody, and I will sacrifice todays egg collection for the cause, but I hope she doesn't sit for a few days and then decide to quit. And I don't know what this will do to tomorrows egg collection if she is still in the box and all the other girls want to get in there

 

[shelleyb1969]

Ideally, you should mark the eggs she's brooding. The other hens will get in the box with her and lay their eggs...and she'll tuck them under her to brood as well. It won't hurt to lift her up each afternoon and remove the "fresh" eggs.

ETA: I've actually caught 3 hens in the same nest box before. Hens have no patience and are hard headed.

 

[popcornpuppy]

VERY good point, Shelleyb! I'm gonna do it. If she is going broody and decides to quit, I have a few vacant slots in my bator that I can put the eggs into, as long as I mark them them and know wich ones they are.

 

[popcornpuppy]

Funny you should mention that about 3 hens in one box. When we built the nesting boxes my husband made them big enough for 4! He tought it would never be a problem since we have 8 girls and 8 boxes. But thay all have to lay in the same box. Monkey see, monkey do.