Silly hybrid girl... could she be going broody?

[SarahIrl]

My three hybrids have only been laying a matter of weeks, they are beautiful big red girls. No idea what the mix is, but there is some RIR in there somewhere. I think one of them is thinking of going broody! She spent half of yesterday in the coop, laying in the nesting box, but I could push her outside. Today, I found her (she'd spent a couple of horus outside scratching around) in the nesting box again, her own egg under her and another by her side. She was sat broody style (all fluffed out, belly on the ground, feet to her sides) but both eggs were stone cold. I have a load of eggs in the bator and my 2 1/2 week old chicks are in my only other coop so have nowhere to seperate her if she goes broody. Shame, because if she did I'd give her a couple of days and then slip in a few half incubated eggs. The latest set are now on day 5. Whats the latest I can leave it to give her some incubated eggs? And can I leave her in with the other two? There is no real coop-master between the three of them so I'm not worried about her not being number one bird.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Here is how I tell a broody: out in the yard, just before going broody - my girls start acting "off" they walk around fluffed up, wings a bit out from their sides. When in the box, when they see me or another chicken - they fluff up and sometimes growl and might peck your hand when you reach in to pet her. They stay in the box almost 24/7



I have taken eggs from the bator that were due to hatch in 8 days and put them under a new broody. She raised beautiful chicks and still actually hangs and sleeps with her pullets (who will be a year in october).

 

[SarahIrl]

Well, she's not broody yet then, it's raining today and she's as soaked as the other two. Only the little chicks had enough sense to stay in!!