Young Broody Hen

[NotTheMomma]

I have a White Rock that is broody. She's only been laying a few weeks. Less than 6 months old, closer to 5 months old. For a few days I noticed her staying on the nest. Each day she stayed longer. Yesterday she was on the nest most of the day. Not sure when she started on the nest, but was there at 12, and at lockdown around 7. Today she's been on the nest all day long. I did notice her on a different nest yesterday, but this morning she was back to the orginial nest. She growls, groans, grunts when you walk by the nest. Both days I've removed the eggs that were under her.

Now the questions...
Isn't it really late in the season to be brooding? If I let her sit, won't it be too cold for the chicks? If I let her sit, will it be ok to only let her have, say 3 eggs? I'm pretty sure any eggs I give her will be fertile as every one I've cracked open have been fertile. (Mr. Roo sure gets around! I have 30 hens, and one roo!!!)

If I let her sit, will I need to have a seperate place for her and the eggs, or will her staying in that one nest be OK? I have a metal dog crate I could put her in with a nest, but would need to leave them in the coop, if at all possible.

My husband is completely against any more chickens right now. Really doesn't want her to hatch any, BUT, he also knows almost nothing about chickens. He also will NOT remove her from a nest, cause that growling scares him.

So if it's safe for Momma Hen, and some chicks this late in the year, and she can only have a few eggs, I don't mind her sitting. I don't have another coop for them though. Will I have to use a heat lamp once they hatch? Or will they be ok with the hen, and not freeze?

I'm almost certain this is then hen that caused me to have a nest of 18 eggs beside the wood pile, and when I found that one, two days later I found another nest with 13! I know they weren't all hers. None the same color, and the EEs had also layed in it. Since she's gone broody, the EEs have started laying in the nesting boxes! In fact, there was an EE egg under Ms. Broody today!

I do have a rabbit cage to put her in to stop the broodiness, but DH doesn't know that trick.

 

[meriruka]

There is a chance a few of the chicks could wander off & freeze.

 

[shaggy]

here is a good article -- should answer all your questions whether you want to get the hen to stop being broody or if you want to go ahead and let her hatch a few eggs

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html

 

[TM Chickens]

Isn't it really late in the season to be brooding? If I let her sit, won't it be too cold for the chicks?

The chicks will get under momma to stay warm. They should be fine.

If I let her sit, will I need to have a separate place for her and the eggs, or will her staying in that one nest be OK? I have a metal dog crate I could put her in with a nest, but would need to leave them in the coop, if at all possible.

She would prob be fine in the nest, but there is the possibility that other hens may lay eggs under her, thus causing a staggered hatch.

If I let her sit, will it be ok to only let her have, say 3 eggs?

Sure. Once one of our hens set on just one egg, and it hatched fine.​

 

[NotTheMomma]

Thanks everyone!!

During the night she had gathered up plastic eggs and placed them into a nest. I have NO idea HOW, as my nest boxes are the metal ones. But she did. So I moved her into a cage with real eggs, and she went right back to sitting. We shall see what happens.

 

[jeremy]

I have an australorp pullet that is a little over 5 months old, she's now taken up residence on top of our neighbor's garage where she's got a clutch of like 20 eggs...

i don't know what i'm going to do!

 

[NotTheMomma]

Quote:

Oh my! Won't you have to move them down before they start hatching? TWENTY CHICKS! Wowsers! Ohhh but what fun!!

 

[yodercountrygirl]

I have the same question!!! My banty has been on the nest most of the day today, this is the first day so it will be fun if she is actually brooding or not!! I am in the same predicament, don't have a special place for her.
Thanks for answering some of my questions about a young broody!!!