To brood or not to brood!

[tmarr]

Well it seems like my ex-battery hens are two steps ahead of me! I decided to leave their eggs in their nest to see if it would encourage them to go broody..then the genius that I am I was going to get a lovely selection of fertilized bantam eggs to see if they would hatch! Nope...they've laid two eggs and nothing more (2 fingers up to the clutch idea lol!). I'm guessing as they're ex-batts they've come to the end of laying, does this usually happen?

 

[nchls school]

Well it seems like my ex-battery hens are two steps ahead of me! I decided to leave their eggs in their nest to see if it would encourage them to go broody..then the genius that I am I was going to get a lovely selection of fertilized bantam eggs to see if they would hatch! Nope...they've laid two eggs and nothing more (2 fingers up to the clutch idea lol!). I'm guessing as they're ex-batts they've come to the end of laying, does this usually happen?

You don't say what kind of chickens they are. Battery hens are usually breeds that do not have a broody instinct and lay more eggs. Nothing will make a hen without maternal instincts become broody. I have not found that hens "just stop laying", but rather less and less eggs are laid as the hens age. Someone else may have a different opinion on this.

 

[aart]

How long have you had these hens?
Do you know how old they are?

No, leaving eggs in the nest will not make a bird go broody,
it's all about hormones and if they are going to sit they will sit on nothing.

 

[tmarr]

You don't say what kind of chickens they are. Battery hens are usually breeds that do not have a broody instinct and lay more eggs. Nothing will make a hen without maternal instincts become broody. I have not found that hens "just stop laying", but rather less and less eggs are laid as the hens age. Someone else may have a different opinion on this.

I think they're a hybrid of the Rhode Island red! Not quite sure of age as I rescued them but as they were going to be culled I reckoned they were coming to the end of laying and didn't expect any eggs! They had been giving me two eggs each day faithfully, with the egg song lol but since I've tried to give them a clutch no eggs or song! So I just assumed that was it egg laying days over!! Thanks for your help!

 

[tmarr]

How long have you had these hens?
Do you know how old they are?

No, leaving eggs in the nest will not make a bird go broody,
it's all about hormones and if they are going to sit they will sit on nothing.

I've had them for a few months now, not sure of age but all was going well until my 'clutch' idea..now no eggs or song!

 

[aart]

They may be getting ready to molt.

 

[tmarr]

Funny you say that I noticed today their feathers were a bit 'messy' maybe that's it!