Is my girl broody? Should I put some eggs under her?

[mstricer]

I have a orp that appears to be setting on some eggs I just leave the eggs in that nest. Heck I cant even tell if its the same chicken considering I have 8 orps and only know one by looks because shes kinda crooked from a fall early on. I guess in about 16 days I will find out huh

 

[cherylcohen]

Quote:
No our boxes are in the coop, I meant I took her out of the box and put her in the covered run. see pic sorry for the confusion.

I'm not completely sure what is the best thing to do for Mabel. I would LOVE some chicks right now but I don't want a dozen of one breed, so I'm not sure how to go about getting just 2-3 of 4 different breeds.

I also don't have a little coop to put her in...should I just build a little something inside the pen...see pictures....how do you keep the other chickens out?

 

[Kittymomma]

I have an extra large dog crate that I use as a chicken hospital/someday brooder. I also have an Igloo outside dog house that neither of my spoiled dogs will use that I plan to put in the run and surround it with an outdoor playpen for when mamma first hatches chicks out so they can be with the flock but still physically seperate for the first few days.

I LOVE your set up, especially the covered run! It looks to me like you have plenty of room to do something for her inside the pen so I'd go that route.

As far as the eggs go I'd post a want to buy on here and on CL specifying the types that you want. You may not be able to get all the types that you want, but I bet you can get a few of them. Lots of people keep a few different breeds. If all goes well you can pick up some day olds of the types you couldn't get eggs for and slip them under her at night along with her own chicks.

 

[cherylcohen]

thanks great advice, I have speckled sussex and sicilian buttercups coming but I really really want a few eggs of silver laced wyandotte, barnevelder and white rocks.

I think I can put together something for Mabel in the run, we have a low dog fence and a dog carrier that I can rig up, I'll just have to figure a way to keep her as warm as if she was in the coop...

will she need a nesting box in there, or will she be happy just laying on the floor in pine shavings? Oh I'm so worried and nervous..do you have an opinion about how many eggs I should put under her, she's a big girl

 

[Kittymomma]

I'd rig up some kind of nest box just to help keep the eggs together. She looks like a big healthy girl, but it's her first time so I'd keep it to a dozen or less. If she does a good job this time I think she could easily cover 15 + on the next round. The other thing I'd do is put her in her new broody pen a couple of days before you want to put the eggs under her. Give her a few of the infertile eggs or some fake ones to make sure she's adjusted and ready to sit tight on the nest before you give her the good eggs. I'm so excited for you! Tell Mable to send some of her broody vibes north to my girls!!

 

[bethsplace]

when mine went broody she was determined to sit until she hatched some I gave her some and when they hatched gave the babies back to the owner they were on loan. that didnt satisfy her so I bought 8 eggs and gave her 5 of them to hatch and raise and she was happy then just gave them away at five weeks old. the other hen that was laying at the time just laid her eggs in the box with her so everyday I would check and pull hers out and leave the marked eggs in. her condition did go down over the 2 1/2 months she went through this

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Quote:
What we have found works best, is to give the hen 1 egg to sit on. If she sits tight on it for 2-3 days, then we take that 1 egg out,a nd right away give her a full clutch.
Always a good idea to not wait to long, as the hens clock may tell her, her 3 weeks are up, when she may need to sit another week for the eggs to hatch!

 

[DaveD]

If you don't mind the price, I saw that MY Pet Chicken sells fertile eggs for all different kinds.

Speaking of broody, I had a thought in my head (One at a time, as there isn't much space). Can you let a hen go broody then after a little time, swap the eggs with day-old chicks that were already sexed, so that I could try to avoid the roos and also let the hen be the "Mommy" and rear them? I know I am being really premature, since I don't even have my first bevy of girls yet, but I was wondering

-David

 

[cherylcohen]

I think someone said I could try that, but I've got a few amazing people shipping me eggs now, I can't wait

 

[BoerneChickens]

If you can't have more chickens so you can't give her fertile eggs - how do you "break" the brooding so they don't lose condition? I am new to this but will be getting just a few hens for a backyard flock, but no roosters.