Mixing heritage breed roosters with Hy-Line hens

[ChookaPete]

Sorry for posting off-topic on your thread, I am just excited to share to YOU specifically since your post partially inspired me to try for broodies. I left a clutch of 12+ eggs in the corner nest a few days but was forced to gather them in because it was warm for a few weeks(I even planted my potatoes and able to wear sweatshirt. Hopefully my potatoes will survive I thought that was the last frost)
I was hoping to make one of my chickens broody, but rain and cold temp rolled in just as the days goes. So I had took all of the previous days’ eggs in and sell them at job place’s neighborhood and also sold all of my stock up eggs(up to 100 eggs!)
...Then a Golden Comet decided to sit overnight. It’s still too early to tell if she’s committed but an industrial hybrid going broody??? And I didn’t even made everything optimal yet idk why she would even go broody the condition is terrible
Actually this is the first time a chicken sat in a nest over night, or slept in a nest at all. All of the previous hens refused to stay even though they made tuk-tuk sounds and hissy(territoria?) when they were going to lay. Sassy Stripey would even peck me, but this one sounds different. First time got a broody and it ain’t mine! Fun
(yeah she leaves out an egg in middle nest. So I suspect she has a full clutch under her but I haven’t been able to inspect yet)

All good! I am glad I was an inspiration!



I think the test is - if a female chicken sleeps two consecutive nights on the nest, as well as shows signs like puffing out her chest, making those broody noises towards other chickens near her etc., THEN she is Certified as Broody.

It is difficult with hybrid hens because as you say - they are bred to not be broody. One of my other Hy-Lines went broody but quickly stopped. My Leghorn Cross pullet went broody but I easily snapped her out of it by just removing her nest and eggs when she hopped off to puff her chest at a nearby hen!

However my dear, beautiful Clover, a Hy-Line, definitely wants to be a Mama! This is her third time broody now, it only took a few eggs in the nest for a few days to make her go broody (after being broody over a month earlier), and it is coming up to two weeks. I am trying to source some fertile eggs for her.

 

[ChookaPete]

Unfortunately, I already sold all of the eggs I would like her to incubate instead so I’m not sure if I should leave as is or try to swap her clutch whenever I get enough new eggs. I don't know if she want to sit an extra 4 days or more though...may break her broodiness. I wanted leghorns, white eggs only but may leave her as is. This is my first experience after all and it’s not best I accidentally break her fragile motherly instinct like my previous slightly broody blue hen too (it’s a long story)

Four days extra should be fine. Just try to find some Leghorn eggs and slip them underneath her at night when she is sleepy.

Even after the eggs have hatched, the chook is still somewhat broody - she still makes those little 'tuk-tuk-tuk' noises as she chases after her chicks, and at night she keeps them warm underneath her, essentially incubating them, for at least a week or so.


Here's Mama Clover with her baby Chamomile (Leghorn Cross), May 2024:

You can hear Clover's 'tuk-tuk-tuk' sounds to her baby here:
https://streamable.com/1gfedk



In this video you can hear Chamomile cheeping while she is nice and warm being incubated by her Mama Clover:
https://streamable.com/fgze6u

 

[ChookaPete]

Oh sorry for any confusion - from 9th March 2025 my Clover has been broody for the third time! And this is after only being broody during January!

She is steadfast on being a Mum!

 

[ChookaPete]

I am trying to find some soon-to-be-hatched chicks of a different breed, for Clover to take into her care.

My backup plan is to get two Hy-Line chicks that are due to be hatched this Friday, then place them underneath Clover at night.