Urgent Advice Needed! Quick question about broody hen abandoning eggs!

[SapphireVL]

Hi everyone! I hope someone can give me a quick response to this urgent matter. I have ten fertile d'uccle eggs that I gave to my young (less than one year old) and first-time broody cochin, Black Beauty. She happily sat on them for 14 days, but just now gave up and walked away. I tried, but could not generate BB's re-interest -- she has determined she is done. I therefore moved the eggs into the incubator; however, I happen to have a cochin bantam, Pocohantas (also less than one year old), who also just went broody for the first time a few days ago. She is sitting on one egg that may or may not be fertile (probably not).
My question is: Can I give a just-turned broody hen eggs that are due to hatch in 7 days, or will it throw off her internal calendar? In other words, does she think she must sit for 21 days, and if the eggs start hatching after 7 days, might that cause her to do something drastic?
I would appreciate any quick responses so I can get her started sitting on these eggs if that's the route I should take.
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ADVICE!

 

[Mrs. K]

I would give the eggs to her. They can't count, and they don't have to be broody for so many days, to switch to the mamma care taking role.

BUT.... make sure she is really broody, cause sometimes, they are, then they are not, and then they get serious. I have never had a bird sit 14 days, and quit...how odd.

Mrs K

 

[SapphireVL]

I would give the eggs to her. They can't count, and they don't have to be broody for so many days, to switch to the mamma care taking role.

BUT.... make sure she is really broody, cause sometimes, they are, then they are not, and then they get serious. I have never had a bird sit 14 days, and quit...how odd.

Mrs K

Thank you for your quick response, Mrs. K! The abandonment of her eggs may have been my fault. I have four different flocks (4 runs, 4 coops), but all of my chickens free range together. Black Beauty chose to nest in a run/coop that was not her flock's and those chickens did not appreciate her intrusion. They kept booting her off the nest and taking over her eggs, which upset BB, of course. So, I moved her into a more protected, neutral area (inside the barn). She agreed to sit there for three days and then just stopped sitting and kept trying to get out, so I allowed her freedom and she chose to not return to the nest. She didn't return to the nest's original location, either, so maybe she was just too young or my moving her confused her. She is seriously less than six months old and just started laying.... I ever had one this young go broody before, but I am still fairly new at this.... That said, I'm pretty sure Pocohontas is broody as she has been sitting solidly for three days straight, so I will give her the eggs. THANK YOU AGAIN!

I would give the eggs to her. They can't count, and they don't have to be broody for so many days, to switch to the mamma care taking role.

BUT.... make sure she is really broody, cause sometimes, they are, then they are not, and then they get serious. I have never had a bird sit 14 days, and quit...how odd.

Mrs K

 

[Mrs. K]

I wondered if you moved her. When I began, a lot of advice was to move them to the best spot. I tried once or twice, and after a day or two, they would quit the nest just like what you described.

So now, what I would do, is to make WHERE SHE chose, the best nest. I would lock the layers out, for a couple of days one way or another, giving them somewhere else to lay.
Just my 2 cents.

Mrs K

 

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

Thank you for your quick response, Mrs. K! The abandonment of her eggs may have been my fault. I have four different flocks (4 runs, 4 coops), but all of my chickens free range together. Black Beauty chose to nest in a run/coop that was not her flock's and those chickens did not appreciate her intrusion. They kept booting her off the nest and taking over her eggs, which upset BB, of course. So, I moved her into a more protected, neutral area (inside the barn). She agreed to sit there for three days and then just stopped sitting and kept trying to get out, so I allowed her freedom and she chose to not return to the nest. She didn't return to the nest's original location, either, so maybe she was just too young or my moving her confused her. She is seriously less than six months old and just started laying.... I ever had one this young go broody before, but I am still fairly new at this.... That said, I'm pretty sure Pocohontas is broody as she has been sitting solidly for three days straight, so I will give her the eggs. THANK YOU AGAIN!

Is Pocahontas older? Has she had babies before? I cannot vouch for the truth of this personally, but I read somewhere that the only reason it matters how long they sit is to ensure that they will stay sitting. Being that Black Beauty is that young, maybe that had a lot to do with her quitting. I think my 3 year old would probably take babies even if she was only broody for 1 day! I always think it is good for the mama to be lucky enough to have her sit shortened. Please update us as to how everything goes!

 

[SapphireVL]

Is Pocahontas older? Has she had babies before? I cannot vouch for the truth of this personally, but I read somewhere that the only reason it matters how long they sit is to ensure that they will stay sitting. Being that Black Beauty is that young, maybe that had a lot to do with her quitting. I think my 3 year old would probably take babies even if she was only broody for 1 day! I always think it is good for the mama to be lucky enough to have her sit shortened. Please update us as to how everything goes!

Thank you for your response (and I apologize for my delay in reply)! To answer your questions: Pocohontas (cochin bantam) is a few months older, but is not quite a full year old. She has not had babies before, and this is also the first time she has gone broody. I did give her 8 mille fleur d'uccle eggs to sit on, and she has been doing a wonderful job. I had 8 additional fertilized d'uccle eggs, but put them in an incubator because I figured Pocohontas only had enough body to handle so many. The chicks are actually due to start hatching tomorrow (day 21!), and I plan to place the newborns from the incubator underneath her. (I doubt all16 will hatch.... I am thinking she'll end up raising 12 or so), or I may have to raise a few myself if she won't have them. I will give an update once they're born!

 

[BDutch]

Good luck!
I’m curious what happens if you add the chicks from the incubator. I know many broodies will accept newborn added chicks if they have been sitting. Maybe someone can give you a bit of advice from experience on how and when?
Did you look in the article section? Maybe tag a few people who have experience with adding chicks from an incubator? @aart ?

 

[SapphireVL]

Good luck!
I’m curious what happens if you add the chicks from the incubator. I know many broodies will accept newborn added chicks if they have been sitting. Maybe someone can give you a bit of advice from experience on how and when?
Did you look in the article section? Maybe tag a few people who have experience with adding chicks from an incubator? @aart ?

To answer your question, day 22 and still no chicks! I am surprised.... so I candled a few that didn't look too promising and a few that looked good, but still no babies....? I will let you know if any hatch.

 

[SapphireVL]

To answer your question, day 22 and still no chicks! I am surprised.... so I candled a few that didn't look too promising and a few that looked good, but still no babies....? I will let you know if any hatch.

I forgot to answer this part of your question (sorry!): I have added chicks from an incubator to a broody hen whose eggs were hatching at the same time, but never to a hen that didn't have the same age eggs and/or chicks. In the past, I've done this a few ways:
(1) Waited until the chick started to poke through the egg and then placed it under mama, whose eggs were also beginning to hatch, who accepted the egg and baby, no problem.
(2) Placed newborn chick (not even 1 hour old) under mama with her egg shell, and she accepted baby with her others that were hatching at the same time.
(3) Placed 1-day old chick from incubator with hen who had other 1-day old chicks. In this case, 1 of my hens rejected baby and in another case, the hen accepted baby.
Fortunately, I've never lost a chick through a mama attack, but I hear it happens. When I move eggs/chicks from incubator to nest, I sit nearby to observe closely for a couple of hours.

 

[GalaxyChicken]

I forgot to answer this part of your question (sorry!): I have added chicks from an incubator to a broody hen whose eggs were hatching at the same time, but never to a hen that didn't have the same age eggs and/or chicks. In the past, I've done this a few ways:
(1) Waited until the chick started to poke through the egg and then placed it under mama, whose eggs were also beginning to hatch, who accepted the egg and baby, no problem.
(2) Placed newborn chick (not even 1 hour old) under mama with her egg shell, and she accepted baby with her others that were hatching at the same time.
(3) Placed 1-day old chick from incubator with hen who had other 1-day old chicks. In this case, 1 of my hens rejected baby and in another case, the hen accepted baby.
Fortunately, I've never lost a chick through a mama attack, but I hear it happens. When I move eggs/chicks from incubator to nest, I sit nearby to observe closely for a couple of hours.

Did any chicks make it? And did mama accept the incubator eggs?