This has probably already been asked... BUT....

[WindyOaksYokes]

By the way, IF she does go broody and I put eggs under her... Should I mark them so I know which ones I gave her to set on?

Tuff - thanks for answering my next question!!!!!!!!!!!! And right now, no, she does get up and will roam all day, but it is just that she sets in the nest for longgggg periods after laying the egg. Not to mention, after she lays, she is QUIET will NOT do the bocking thing after she lays.... I have watched and listened to her out of a window. Its interesting.

 

[Country Gal]

Sounds like a plan!

If she doesn't get off the egg by tomorrow morning, I'm going to find someone local who will sell me a few fertile eggs and see what happens. What should be interesting is trying to get the eggs underneath her without her attacking me!

Keep me updated on your girl!

Must sign off now and get back to my housework...

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I always mark my eggs with an x that I have placed under a hen or you can mark them with the date....

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

Tuff - Thank you for the info. That is what I thought I would do, so I would know which are which. Incase when she is off one of the others jumps on and lays.

Coutry Gal - I think what I will do since I get 18 eggs a day, if she does go full broody on me I will just take my chances and give her a few... I know my roosters are doing their job because at least 75% of my eggs are fertile!

I guess I will just have to wait and watch!

Tes

 

[Country Gal]

Well, she finally got off the egg... she probably sat on it for a good 4 or 5 hours. Hopefully she'll be good and broody in the spring when I'm ready to hatch some replacement chicks...

I am still wondering - when she does go broody, if I want to put eggs under her, how do I do it? She's like the devil chicken when she's in there - if I were to use a long pair of tongs to place eggs in the nest next to her, will she get them situated under her? Or do I have to actually put them under her?

Let me know how your girl turns out, WindyOakes!

 

[Country Gal]

Hey WindyOakes - I'm anxious to hear if your girl is still on the nest? Or did she turn out like mine and just seems to like to sit for a few hours?

I'm kind of disappointed that mine didn't turn out broody... I was starting to get excited about getting some eggs from different breeds of chickens so I could diversify my flock a bit!

 

[bantymum]

Hey you chickies, try getting a silky bantam, they are wonderful broody hens. Youll always have a broody to hatch out some chicks then.
I know a lady who has banties purely for hatching out other breeds, because they are such great mums.

 

[Country Gal]

How easy is it to integrate a banty in with standard heavy breeds?

 

[bantymum]

you should get 2 so they can huddle together in the corner!
Even if you can fence them off for the nursery section .
They are cheap incubators that dont fail if the electricity fails! How heavy a breed are you talking about? perhaps they wont fit under a banty! my friend had isa browns which arent too big.

 

[Country Gal]

I currently have (4) Buff Orpington hens and (1) rooster, (3) Light Brahma hens, (6) SLW hens, and an OEGB rooster.

I'd love to add some cukoo marans (sp?) and EE or Auracaunas (my spelling is really bad this morning!)

If I got 2 of them, would they get along with the existing birds?