Broody!

[Valerie]

My sweet fluffy Rose is going broody again! This time I caught it before she quit laying, so I have been able to get one of her eggs and keep out of the fridge to put under her. She's not completely broody yet, but getting a little more there each day. I hope she lays a few more eggs before she stops! I want some little Roses, and maybe at least one would be a girl! I'd like to keep her sweet personality and broody instinct going. Pearl and Angelina are good layers, so I have one each of their eggs set aside, and one each from Dot and Alice. Dot is a Cuckoo Marans and Alice is her daughter. They lay milk chocolate colored eggs.

Hey, if she has a good hatch and I separate her and babies from the rest of the flock (definitely doing that this time!) do you think she'd accept a couple extra feed store chicks along with her own? I'd like a couple more Easter eggers. Puff has almost quit laying and Francine never lets the roosters mount her, so I don't think it's happening from these two!

[Cyngbaeld]

Some hens will accept additional chicks, but hardly any of mine will. They talk to the chicks while they are still in the shell and bond with them. Then when the chicks hatch they know their own mother's voice and she seems to know them. Feed store chicks won't always bond and many hens will chase off chicks that are not theirs. If you want to try it, put the chicks under her early in the night so they have all night together, but check frequently starting at first light.

[Valerie]

Thanks for that advice, Kim. If she has a good hatch, I probably won't worry about it. She laid another egg today, but she's intent on staying in that nest box. There are not eggs under her but she's really working on that golf ball! I think I'll give her another day and then set her up a nest on Monday.

[Cyngbaeld]

Be sure to start her on a clutch of golf balls till you are sure she is setting tight.

[Valerie]

I guess Rose changed her mind. She never would make up her mind where she wanted to be, and she refused to stay in the doghouse. Today she decided she was done with that broody thing for now. If she does the same as previous years, though, she'll get back into it when it gets real hot and she won't be disuaded from that one.

[BigM]

I think I've got a broody hen too. She won't budge an inch when I go in there. I'm really hoping she sticks it out. I think she may be letting other hens lay eggs under her though. How do I deal with that without disrupting her mood?

[Cyngbaeld]

M, you need to fix it so the other hens can't access her nest. If she is really broody, you won't disrupt her.

[Valerie]

My turkey managed to stash enough eggs from me so that now she's setting! I tried to take them away as soon as I saw them so she wouldn't set, but she buried them in the shavings and hid them from me. I picked her up (sort of) yesterday to see what she was setting on and turns out she snagged some chicken eggs, too. So I guess I'll give her a few weeks and see if she can hatch a chickie or two. I might stick those eggs of Rose's under her, since Rose lost all interesting in setting now. I woke up this morning wondering if I could set her up in her own area to maximize my chances of snagging the babies as soon as they hatch and also so I could put food and water right in front of her. She won't get up and take breaks! I'm going to have to figure out a way to get water in there for her without them dumping it all over.

[BigM]

My lady seems to have decided that she will not be sharing her nest anymore. She usually gets up for a bite to eat and a drink of water when I go out in the morning so I use that time to check the nest and freshen the mark I put on her eggs in case I need to tell them apart.

Can I just leave the chicks in there with her after they hatch?

[Valerie]

I did that a couple times and everything went fine. Last year, though, the other chickens killed and ate the babies, so I won't be trying that again. Kim snags hers as soon as she can and puts them in a brooder in the house.

[BigM]

Thanks Val. I guess I better get something set up.

[Valerie]

I never did tell y'all, but Rose went broody again 3 weeks ago. I know it was three weeks ago because she hatched three sweet little babes today.
She's still got three more eggs she's working on. I hope the one that is actually her egg hatches! I'd like to keep the broody gene going.

Here's what we set up for them. After we moved Rose and the babies, she came out, walked around and did an inspection, and got back in the doghouse with the babies. Last time I checked, she was sitting in there all cute and fluffy, clucking softly to the little ones. I love having a mommy chicken with babies!

[michelle]

Very nice!

[wvfarmgirl]

My broody hatched these 2 out yesterday.