When will Mama start laying again?

[dldolan]

My Cochin just hatched out four chicks a week ago-- some BCM eggs I gave her. How long will it take her to get back to egg production? (Ha! Cochins? May go through her whole life broody! I know, I know..

)
Just humor me for the sake of knowledge, pretty please!
Thanks!

 

[jeslewmazer]

Honestly.....there is no telling when she will start laying again. You could try taking the chicks from her if you have a brooder, Let her keep them until they can survive without added heat, or Wait until she is done raising them (but that could take 6+ months depending on the hen). If you are wanting eggs from here now I would think your best bet would be.........the sooner the chicks are away the sooner she will lay. I have a EE hen that hatched one chick 10/29/10 and just a few days ago laid her first egg since being broody. That's right at 3months (including broody) with no egg from her.

 

[Featherland]

Most likely when she is done being a mama. They do need some recovery time because of all the time they set.

 

[dldolan]

Ok, so 3-6 months...Maybe i'll plan on the two cochins just being mamas, and not stress about lack of eggs, then. A better solution!

Hopefully, with the increasing light, some of the others will get with the game!
Thanks,
Dawn

 

[tuesdays chicks]

my story is a little long winded I had 2 girls go broody 1 after the other at the same time this fall and gave them eggs, the 1st 1 to go broody went into molt and got off the nest, she molted real quick and started laying, the chicks are 10 weeks old now and the other is molting so I still have no eggs, but everyone is molting that is supposed to be laying lol, I think it all depends on the bird and time of year.

 

[dldolan]

Anybody had a broody and just let them keep hatching? I mean, finish up one batch of chicks and they get right back on the nest for more hatch duty? Just curious...

 

[jeslewmazer]

I feel that that would be unhealthy for the broody. The longest I have let a broody go for was two separate clutches. The first clutch was a complete failure. I knew she was working so hard to hatch, so I checked her out. She still had a healthy weight and overall looked, ate, and drank. So, I decided to replace her bad clutch with a new one, and 21days later she was a mom. Most of the time the whole process takes so much out of the hen that it can be negative on her health.

 

[abhaya]

my silkiehad a clutch hatch on august 28 still no eggs lol she is a great mom. I call her my silkie bator. I think she has probably laid about 2 dozen eggs in her entire life and she is 2 years old. She loves hatching babies so I let her

 

[sourland]

It varies from breed to breed, but generally 8 to 12 weeks after the chicks hatch most hens will start laying again. Games, silkies and cochins frequently lay a clutch and then go broody again.

 

[dldolan]

Huh. I have day-old chicks coming the end of March, and I'd love to give them to one of the cochins! I'll cross my fingers that the New Year's Day mama will be ready for new chicks by then!