What to Do?

[Darlene Held]

My free range hen has started laying again. We have let her lay two before taking one egg and now daily we take one egg and leave one. We like where she is and feel she will leave if we empty the nest. We she brood with just one egg?

 

[Kale Chips]

I like to put a golf ball in the place I want my hens to lay, it works every time. That way you could take both eggs and not worry about her choosing a different spot. Usually, hens go broody when there is a "clutch" of many eggs (like, 8-12 eggs to sit on), so it's not likely that she'll go broody.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

My free range hen has started laying again. We have let her lay two before taking one egg and now daily we take one egg and leave one. We like where she is and feel she will leave if we empty the nest. We she brood with just one egg?

Hi there, hope you are enjoying BYC!

The answer may or may not surprise you.. but truth is ALL chickens are individuals.

I would definitely get a fake egg to leave. Leaving real ones is inviting predators like snake, opossum, raccoon, rats, etc. I have ONE hen that absolutely WOULD hide her nest if she thought it was being raided.. meaning all eggs removed. If (fake) eggs were left she happily laid there. Plus, I worry I might not be able to tell which was the fresh egg to leave and take the day old one accidentally leaving the older one and it eventually exploding or.. Usually the older one has more dried on dirt during rain season but not int he dry season.

Some hens will go broody on AIR! Even though you collect every single egg the instant it is laid AND boot the hen out of the coop.. once they have THEIR share of eggs NO matter how many are int he nest.. Some hens are broody back to back to back EVERY 3rd egg they lay EVEN when allowed to sit, hatch, and raise a brood. So yes, a hen who is hormonal enough to get broody.. will brood only one egg if given the chance. Sometimes they will nest hop, steal eggs from other nests and roll to theirs. And most ladies get fresh eggs deposited to the nest they're sitting on when gone out to eat, drink, relieve themselves.. as other hens are smart enough to try and sneak their genetic seed in without having to do any of the work.

As far as needing to leave a clutch of eggs to induce brooding.. that has ONLY been relevant in turkeys in my experience.. I used to think people with excessive broody problems weren't doing their part to collect eggs.. That has been proven completely false to me and basically for the most part.. what we have are GUIDELINES we've observed and nature don't give a crud about what rules we THINK it will follow!

Hens do grow spurs and some even crow! Rooster egg sing when startled or sometimes with the ladies. Some roosters CAN and DO peacefully coexist. Infertile eggs can get some development as if fertile if incubated but will never hatch. The only hard fast rule I haven't seen obliterated thus far and remains a constant is cockerels and roosters do NOT lay eggs! I've had some boys crow as young as 3 weeks while my friend had a boy that didn't belt his first one out until 18+ months. Some members do have games with a high propensity for roosters to sit on eggs for hatching!

If your lady has not previously gone broody and you describe her as started laying again... I have had a couple hens who waited until they were older before getting the broody bug. But most that have past their first molt (in my experience).. simply aren't broody ladies, Since I already said all are individuals.. that means your mileage may vary.. and I see something new ALMOST daily!

It's always great to get eggs again after a break, happy for your!

 

[Mamatomany123]

I also just have a golf ball in all of my boxes. Weird thing I've seen is with my current laying hens, all of them will push the ball under them right before they lay.