What Do I Do??????

[basketballndl]

I went to school yesterday leaving my 2 broodies to sit on their eggs all day without me checking on them every hour to make sure that they were doing and sitting where they were supposed to be. So i came home yesterday and my one broody chenged nests therefore pretty much committing murder on her two 8 day old developing eggs. I had no clue how long she was off of her original eggs but she was now sitting on a fresh nest that the other chickens must've layed. Well, i stuck the 8 day old developing eggs back under her and let her go in hopes that they could be revived? I went to school this morning and she was still on the nest. What do ya know, when i come home today she once again abandoned her developing eggs. so i brought them in and candeled them the one i could still see the heartbeat in but the other i wasn't sure of. so I stuck them under the silkie broody whom has b been on her nest since day 1. should I give the attempted murderer another chance or should i just not give her the 2 eggs back? is there a way that i can prevent her from doing it for the rest of her 13 days?


I'm so undecided.

 

[ninjascrub69]

put the eggs under another broody, one of my hens did that last year and i kept putting the eggs under her but she kept moving.

 

[basketballndl]

I don't know what her deal is. the silkie knows where her nest is. you could taker her and spin her around 10 times and she would still find her way back. i don't know what the cochin was thinking but I vote her #1 worst mom of the coop!

 

[Nostalchic]

Cochins are a little timid, at least mine are, and they would be chased off "their" nests by a more aggressive hen, so they would just collect some eggs in another nest and start over. I think to avoid this sort of thing (and broken eggs, and a lot of frustration) it might be best to segregate the broody from the rest of the flock. I was advised to do that the first time I let a broody hatch some eggs, but I didn't, and I was sorry! Since then, I've kept them in a separate part of the coop to do their thing, which has worked out a lot better for all.

 

[basketballndl]

All of this brings me to my next question/ delima.

The silkie has had her eggs under her 3 days longer than the cochin. now. when the silkie's eggs hatch, will she abandon the developing cochin eggs to take care of her peeps????

 

[ninjascrub69]

Quote:
no, after her eggs hatch she should stay on the nes for a few mor days.

 

[drumstick diva]

I would confine the cochin broody, so she can't wander off.

 

[basketballndl]

all of the chickens stay in the coop all the time. they have a big fenced in area to wander. so it wouldn't be like i'm not able to find her because they are freerange...


thank you!!

we'll see what happens when their hatch date rolls around...(sept. 10th )

 

[Kedreeva]

Quote:
The answer isn't a straight yes or no. It's 'maybe'. Some birds will sit for a few days after the first chick hatches, some will only sit for the first few hours or the first day, which may not be enough time for your cochin's eggs. Especially if the silkie is setting on silkie eggs, which tend to hatch sooner than standard eggs.

Your best bet in this situation is to take the first hatchers away until you're sure the others are done hatching, and then give them back at night while she's sleeping. She will sit for a little but when no more hatch, she will take all that did hatch and leave the nest.

 

[PunkinPeep]

Quote:
The answer isn't a straight yes or no. It's 'maybe'. Some birds will sit for a few days after the first chick hatches, some will only sit for the first few hours or the first day, which may not be enough time for your cochin's eggs. Especially if the silkie is setting on silkie eggs, which tend to hatch sooner than standard eggs.

Your best bet in this situation is to take the first hatchers away until you're sure the others are done hatching, and then give them back at night while she's sleeping. She will sit for a little but when no more hatch, she will take all that did hatch and leave the nest.

Quote:
This is a really good idea too. My buff orps will often get confused about which nest is which (they all look the same, after all). Since i don't leave the house for work, i can easily correct them. But when i can, i contain them so they don't have any competition for their nest when the rest of the girls are trying to lay. This solves a lot of problems and also eliminates scuffles which can sometimes result in broken eggs.