kaza46 Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 My hen has just gone Broody today and she is sitting on unfertilized eggs. My first question is - how do i swap them over to fertilized? Should i do it at night time so she is less aware? 2nd Q is - How long can the eggs be cold before no good for hatching? 3rd Q - Can i move her into another hutch as this one is not suitable for hatching or raising chicks, and if so when should i do it? I hope someone can help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabel Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Hi I've eggs under a broody for the first time. The advice I got was to move her to her new broody coop at night with minimum fuss and take the infertile eggs with her. Then she sat on those for a couple of days so as we knew she wouldn't walk before the fertile eggs were put in. On the first day I kept her in with the door closed, after that I opened it and she ventures out for 5 mins or so most mornings. She is within sight of the other girls. The nice man I got the Maran eggs from, advised putting the eggs under her one at a time, starting around lunchtime, with half an hour or so in-between each egg. Once she had a few new, fertile eggs in, I started taking the infertile eggs out - had marked the fertile eggs! His reasoning was that by putting one in at a time, she wouldn't notice a clatter of cold eggs going under her. Hopefully someone experience will come along and advice because, as I said, I'm a first-timer at this!! Isabel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Move the broody and the unfertilised eggs in the next day or so, do it after dark and powder or spray the broody for mites at the same time if you have something handy Then wait for her to settle in her new home for a couple of days Then swap the eggs over after dark, roll one of the duds out and pop a new one under until she is settled on the whole clutch After a fertilised egg is laid it stays viable for a couple of weeks but fertility is best in the first week If the broody leaves the nest and abandons the eggs they will be ok for 8 hours or so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaza46 Posted April 29, 2012 Author Share Posted April 29, 2012 Brilliant! Thank you for the advice. I will sort her into her new home tomorrow and start her off on her new eggs in a few days. Thank you so much for your help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaza46 Posted April 29, 2012 Author Share Posted April 29, 2012 Just a thought - she is where my other hens are, are they going to be able to lay their eggs or is it going to upset them all? I had a hen who i had put in the spare Eglu because she was ill (sort of better now) so i am going to have to put her back with the others and transfer Mrs Broody over. My other prob is that the hen i am going to have to put back with the others sleeps in the laying area (which is where Mrs Broody is) is it going to work out with the swapping at night or if there going to be arguments over the laying area? I hope this makes sense as i'm not up with the terminology for everything lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
