Broody signs?

[Mrs. K]

Personally a broody hen that wants to take your arm off at the elbow, tends to be a good one.

When she stomps out growling and looking like beach ball, the layers learn to step back and give her space which will be valuable when bringing out chicks.

Do mark your eggs, do check every third day or so. Last summer I read an article about putting in a scoop of soil in the nest under the bedding. Seemed to work.

Also, how many eggs? If she is a large bird, I have had them set a dozen, but do know not all of them will hatch. With a medium bird I have better luck with 6-8.

Now for the math, if you set 8 eggs, 5-6 chicks is reasonable, not to say you won’t hatch more or less, but that would be average. Now of those 6,half will be males? Now is the time to think about them, and what you are going to do with them.

Then measure your coop, you can cheat in the summer, the days are long, and the chicks are small. But October first is coming, that is the day the number of birds has to fit in the coop for me. The long nights of winter are coming.
So if you add, you have to subtract.

Mrs K

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Also, on the days you want to remove any extra eggs that have been laid in the nest, it's a good idea to wear at least one sturdy glove. Use that hand to lift her slightly off the eggs and block her from seeing your other hand as it slips under her and removes those extra eggs. That's how I do it anyway. She can have a fit and peck as hard as she wants at the gloved hand. I use one of my DH's heavy welding gloves. (He doesn't weld, but it makes a really good gardening glove for yanking stubborn weeds, thorns, poison ivy, etc.)

 

[Gigachad poultry]

Thanks fir all the really helpful replies!!! I did decide to go out last night to check on her and she was indeed sleeping on her nest so I took to wire door to the dog crate she's nesting in and I attached it! Hopefully she'll be okay being in there for today and if there's any problems I'll be sure to let her have the ability to full get out of the coop if she wants. Since she's in there though, I did put in her own waterer and plenty of food within a foot of her nest since the dog crate is quite large

 

[Gigachad poultry]

Personally a broody hen that wants to take your arm off at the elbow, tends to be a good one.

Oh yeah, Kikimora has good chances of being a good mom

When she stomps out growling and looking like beach ball, the layers learn to step back and give her space which will be valuable when bringing out chicks.

That's good to know! I've only ever had broody hens and their chicks rejoin with the flock after they've hit 3-4 weeks

Do mark your eggs, do check every third day or so. Last summer I read an article about putting in a scoop of soil in the nest under the bedding. Seemed to work.

I gave her a bug clutch of unmarked eggs and I'm hoping she'll start properly developing them now. Once I see healthy development I'll mark then

Also, how many eggs?

She has about 12-14, she wouldn't let me count for long lol

If she is a large bird, I have had them set a dozen, but do know not all of them will hatch. With a medium bird I have better luck with 6-8.

She's able to keep over a dozen nice and consistently warm under her and she's generally about the size of a Leghorn just a tad bit less slender

Now for the math, if you set 8 eggs, 5-6 chicks is reasonable, not to say you won’t hatch more or less, but that would be average. Now of those 6,half will be males? Now is the time to think about them, and what you are going to do with them.

I have a full plan for all extra roosters I have, and I'm actually in the process of making a rooster coop with dividers! I am breeding to a general standard I've created so I'd re-home any unfit roosters or cull if they have health related defects like a crooked tail or bad overall posture. I also have a friend who loves taking in my extra roosters to sell off to other since my birds carry green and blue egg genes!

Then measure your coop, you can cheat in the summer, the days are long, and the chicks are small. But October first is coming, that is the day the number of birds has to fit in the coop for me. The long nights of winter are coming.
So if you add, you have to subtract.

Mrs. K

That's a good point! Luckily I've actually got 2-3 coops with nobody in them and plenty of place to add roost bars if needed

 

[Gigachad poultry]

SHE SUCCESSFULLY STAYED ON THE NEST TODAY!!! I'll still keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't become unhappy being in her "broody house"

 

[Gigachad poultry]

Her a photo of her nest yesterday btw, I've only added 2 to her nest since I got her broody house fully setup

 

[Mrs. K]

Just to be aware, a large clutch can be a disaster, let me explain. A hen moves the eggs around- sometimes eggs on the outside rim are not warm enough and they stall and die. The hen does not know this and stirs the eggs again making the problem worse.

Also do not add new eggs to the nest after she has started. The early eggs will hatch and she will leave the remaining eggs to take care of chicks. It is best to have all the eggs set at one time.

 

[Gigachad poultry]

She's been doing fairly well tbh, I'm going to candle her eggs next weekend. I was worried the recent rain might have stressed her out since the flocks been in the coop with her but I think the barrier has helped prevent any stress!

 

[Mrs. K]

This is the longest 21 days!

 

[Gigachad poultry]

This is the longest 21 days!

Ikr?! I'm getting hatching eggs to put in my incubator and I'm hoping she'll be able to adopt them if her own eggs don't hatch! Or maybe she'll just have two batches of chicks, like an adorable army!