I put eggs under my broody

[Bluebelle7]

I never thought I wanted to do this; all I wanted was 2 more D'Uccle bantams to make up my Bantam flock. But I bought dozen of eggs and put them under our Saffron.

In this moment I only have 2 Bantams, and when one goes broody, the other is all alone at night. I also have 5 big girls, they mingle with the Bantams in the daytime, but have separate coop. So, when Saffron got clucky, I thought I will just pop some day old chicks under her. I did see heaps of ads for day old, while I was looking for POL (too early here). Of course, the moment I started to contact people, they were already gone, some at $35 each - NOT sexed! After few days contacting breeders, one told me his one day chicks are now pre-ordered, but suggested I get dozen of eggs. So i drove to the other side of our city, I collected dozen; 1/2 Millefleur, and half Porcelain. Saffron immediately started cooing at them as I put them in front of her, and gently pushed them under her. That was 27th September, 2 days ago. So far so good.

I know broody hens go without food and water for days, but I have not seen her out since Sunday (Today is Friday), so I took her out. She immediately went for the feeders and had a good drink, then had a good dusting, settled herself in the sun, and showed no intention to go back. I left her for about 10 minutes, then I panicked, and put her back. She jumped in her nest and settled in immediately. How long is OK for broody to have a break?

In this moment Saffron is in the big girls' coop, with water and food (which she does not touch), with puppy pen blocking the other hens. Saffron's bestie tried to sleep in the nest, and I had to evict her. I am constructing temporally coop where the babies can go once hatched. I also have a poultry heat lamp, which I got some years ago for my puppies, so they will be fine if Saffron decides she does not want to raise them. I am also considering the possibility that if one of my other girls starts to be broody, I could give her some of the eggs, and that way if Saffron gives up too early, the other girl could take over the whole lot.

The next thing will be candling; any hints what is the best way, and what I am looking for?
Any advice on the whole process will be much appreciated.

 

[NatJ]

I know broody hens go without food and water for days, but I have not seen her out since Sunday (Today is Friday), so I took her out. She immediately went for the feeders and had a good drink, then had a good dusting, settled herself in the sun, and showed no intention to go back. I left her for about 10 minutes, then I panicked, and put her back. She jumped in her nest and settled in immediately. How long is OK for broody to have a break?

It is usually fine for a broody to have a break of an hour or more.

Broody hens will often come off to eat & drink when you are not watching. Since you have her in a separate pen with food and water, you can check the dishes to see if she is eating & drinking. Or you can feel her crop to see if it has food. If she is eating, then you don't have to take her off.

In this moment Saffron is in the big girls' coop, with water and food (which she does not touch), with puppy pen blocking the other hens.

Make sure she has enough space to step away from the nest and poop. You don't want that on the eggs! Or else take her out for a bit each day, like you did this time.

In this moment Saffron is in the big girls' coop, with water and food (which she does not touch), with puppy pen blocking the other hens... I am constructing temporally coop where the babies can go once hatched. I also have a poultry heat lamp, which I got some years ago for my puppies, so they will be fine if Saffron decides she does not want to raise them. I am also considering the possibility that if one of my other girls starts to be broody, I could give her some of the eggs, and that way if Saffron gives up too early, the other girl could take over the whole lot.

Planning ahead can avoid many kinds of problems, so I'm glad you have thought of solutions to these things

The next thing will be candling; any hints what is the best way, and what I am looking for?
Any advice on the whole process will be much appreciated.

Candling works best if you do it in a very dark place, with a bright light. A bright flashligh, inside a room with no windows, often works well.

If you have no experience candling, I suggest you start with an egg that has never been under a broody hen. You should be able to shine the light and see the egg light up. You might be able to see a darker shadow that is the yolk. You should be able to find the air cell at the big end (small in a fresh egg, larger in an older egg. If you ever need to check how old an egg is, candling to check the size of the air cell is one method.)

For the eggs under the hen, I would try first when they have been incubated for about 5 days. At that stage, the developing chick can look rather like a spider: a blob with veins sticking out in many directions. With a bright enough light for candling, I find that stage very easy to recognize.

When you try candling the eggs, have a pencil or something similar handy. Mark the eggs so you can tell which ones you saw developing, and which ones you did not. For any that you do not see development, give them a few more days and check again, in case they are just slow. (Make your marks big and obvious, because some of it will rub off while the eggs are under the hen.)

If you see clear development in some eggs, and others not, you can discard the not-developing ones. Personally, I like to crack them open to make sure of what I thought I saw. An egg that has not developed at all will look about the same as a normal egg that you might use for cooking, even after it has spent a week or so under a hen. Rotten eggs are another matter, but clean eggs in an incubator or under a hen can go several weeks without rotting.

If you take half the eggs away from the hen to candle them, she can be happy sitting on the other half. They you can swap and do the other half. It is probably not a big deal if you take all the eggs at once, but I don't like to leave a broody hen with an empty nest

Here is an article with photos and discussion of candling, and some nice photos:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ion-through-incubation-of-chicken-eggs.47879/

 

[Bluebelle7]

It is usually fine for a broody to have a break of an hour or more.

Broody hens will often come off to eat & drink when you are not watching. Since you have her in a separate pen with food and water, you can check the dishes to see if she is eating & drinking. Or you can feel her crop to see if it has food. If she is eating, then you don't have to take her off.



Make sure she has enough space to step away from the nest and poop. You don't want that on the eggs! Or else take her out for a bit each day, like you did this time.


Planning ahead can avoid many kinds of problems, so I'm glad you have thought of solutions to these things


Candling works best if you do it in a very dark place, with a bright light. A bright flashligh, inside a room with no windows, often works well.

If you have no experience candling, I suggest you start with an egg that has never been under a broody hen. You should be able to shine the light and see the egg light up. You might be able to see a darker shadow that is the yolk. You should be able to find the air cell at the big end (small in a fresh egg, larger in an older egg. If you ever need to check how old an egg is, candling to check the size of the air cell is one method.)

For the eggs under the hen, I would try first when they have been incubated for about 5 days. At that stage, the developing chick can look rather like a spider: a blob with veins sticking out in many directions. With a bright enough light for candling, I find that stage very easy to recognize.

When you try candling the eggs, have a pencil or something similar handy. Mark the eggs so you can tell which ones you saw developing, and which ones you did not. For any that you do not see development, give them a few more days and check again, in case they are just slow. (Make your marks big and obvious, because some of it will rub off while the eggs are under the hen.)

If you see clear development in some eggs, and others not, you can discard the not-developing ones. Personally, I like to crack them open to make sure of what I thought I saw. An egg that has not developed at all will look about the same as a normal egg that you might use for cooking, even after it has spent a week or so under a hen. Rotten eggs are another matter, but clean eggs in an incubator or under a hen can go several weeks without rotting.

If you take half the eggs away from the hen to candle them, she can be happy sitting on the other half. They you can swap and do the other half. It is probably not a big deal if you take all the eggs at once, but I don't like to leave a broody hen with an empty nest

Here is an article with photos and discussion of candling, and some nice photos:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ion-through-incubation-of-chicken-eggs.47879/

Thanks so much. Now I feel little bit more confident.

 

[Cheetah Chicks]

It is usually fine for a broody to have a break of an hour or more.

Broody hens will often come off to eat & drink when you are not watching. Since you have her in a separate pen with food and water, you can check the dishes to see if she is eating & drinking. Or you can feel her crop to see if it has food. If she is eating, then you don't have to take her off.



Make sure she has enough space to step away from the nest and poop. You don't want that on the eggs! Or else take her out for a bit each day, like you did this time.


Planning ahead can avoid many kinds of problems, so I'm glad you have thought of solutions to these things


Candling works best if you do it in a very dark place, with a bright light. A bright flashligh, inside a room with no windows, often works well.

If you have no experience candling, I suggest you start with an egg that has never been under a broody hen. You should be able to shine the light and see the egg light up. You might be able to see a darker shadow that is the yolk. You should be able to find the air cell at the big end (small in a fresh egg, larger in an older egg. If you ever need to check how old an egg is, candling to check the size of the air cell is one method.)

For the eggs under the hen, I would try first when they have been incubated for about 5 days. At that stage, the developing chick can look rather like a spider: a blob with veins sticking out in many directions. With a bright enough light for candling, I find that stage very easy to recognize.

When you try candling the eggs, have a pencil or something similar handy. Mark the eggs so you can tell which ones you saw developing, and which ones you did not. For any that you do not see development, give them a few more days and check again, in case they are just slow. (Make your marks big and obvious, because some of it will rub off while the eggs are under the hen.)

If you see clear development in some eggs, and others not, you can discard the not-developing ones. Personally, I like to crack them open to make sure of what I thought I saw. An egg that has not developed at all will look about the same as a normal egg that you might use for cooking, even after it has spent a week or so under a hen. Rotten eggs are another matter, but clean eggs in an incubator or under a hen can go several weeks without rotting.

If you take half the eggs away from the hen to candle them, she can be happy sitting on the other half. They you can swap and do the other half. It is probably not a big deal if you take all the eggs at once, but I don't like to leave a broody hen with an empty nest

Here is an article with photos and discussion of candling, and some nice photos:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ion-through-incubation-of-chicken-eggs.47879/

I have one day left for four of my eggs to hatch and one of my hen got broody four days ago. Shall i pop these eggs under her?

Or only pop two ?

 

[Lillith37]

I have one day left for four of my eggs to hatch and one of my hen got broody four days ago. Shall i pop these eggs under her?

Or only pop two ?

I would say it’s a bit of a gamble to give eggs about to hatch to a broody who has only been sitting for a couple of days. She might accept them, she might not.

 

[Lillith37]

How long is OK for broody to have a break?

The first couple of days and the last couple of days are the most important in incubation. Some broodies won’t get off the nest for the first three or so days so they can keep turning the eggs to stop the embryo from sticking. Then from day 18 to hatch they stay put to keep the humidity in and allow the chicks to assume hatching position in the egg. The in between days are less crucial.

One of my broodies rarely gets off the nest EVER and I have to physically remove her or at least bring her food and water so she doesn’t starve. My other broody was much better at taking care of herself, off the nest like clockwork every day.

As well as monitoring food and water levels and feeling the crop, you should be able to see a broody poop as evidence that she’s been out. It’s a much bigger poop than normal and it smells terrible.

 

[Yardmom]

I have one day left for four of my eggs to hatch and one of my hen got broody four days ago. Shall i pop these eggs under her?

Or only pop two ?

It will depend on the hen. She will gladly take the eggs, but she might not be ready to raise the chicks that quickly.

 

[NatJ]

I have one day left for four of my eggs to hatch and one of my hen got broody four days ago. Shall i pop these eggs under her?

Or only pop two ?

I agree with the other people who have already answered: she might not be ready to be a mother yet, since she has only been sitting for a short time.

You could try it but be prepared to rescue the chicks if the hen does not accept them. Or you could leave the eggs in the incubator, and plan on raising the chicks yourself.

 

[Cheetah Chicks]

The first couple of days and the last couple of days are the most important in incubation. Some broodies won’t get off the nest for the first three or so days so they can keep turning the eggs to stop the embryo from sticking. Then from day 18 to hatch they stay put to keep the humidity in and allow the chicks to assume hatching position in the egg. The in between days are less crucial.

One of my broodies rarely gets off the nest EVER and I have to physically remove her or at least bring her food and water so she doesn’t starve. My other broody was much better at taking care of herself, off the nest like clockwork every day.

As well as monitoring food and water levels and feeling the crop, you should be able to see a broody poop as evidence that she’s been out. It’s a much bigger poop than normal and it smells terrible.

Mine is not pooing nor drinking or eating. She ate a bit when i fed from my hands

 

[Lillith37]

Mine is not pooing nor drinking or eating. She ate a bit when i fed from my hands

If you're worried and she's between days 3 and 18 you can remove her from the nest and put her outside and she should eat, drink and poop. Try to do it at the same time each day.