Snowy Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 I have a little broody pekin just begging to be made a mummy. Although I've never hatched before, I think I have read just about everything there is to read on the topic on here! So it is something I have wanted to do for a while but have only just achieved the optimum conditions of having accomodation and a broody hen! She has never hatched before so will be a first timer. She has been broody before but I managed to snap her out of it (I wasn't keen on letting her hatch on her first sitting and we had a few holidays away planned). Now she is broody again - my dilemma is that we are going away next weekend for a week. If I get some eggs now and put them under her, and make sure she has a break every day for the first week, is she likely to remember to take herself off the nest to eat and drink and poo while I am away? If she doesn't, will she be OK for a week or is that too long? If I leave it until we get back, should I break the broodiness before we go and hope she goes broody again in August? Will August be too late to hatch? (bearing in mind the chicks will arrive end August/beginning of September) Aaah! Too many questions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurmurf Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 I have a little broody pekin just begging to be made a mummy.Although I've never hatched before, I think I have read just about everything there is to read on the topic on here! So it is something I have wanted to do for a while but have only just achieved the optimum conditions of having accomodation and a broody hen! She has never hatched before so will be a first timer. She has been broody before but I managed to snap her out of it (I wasn't keen on letting her hatch on her first sitting and we had a few holidays away planned). Now she is broody again - my dilemma is that we are going away next weekend for a week. If I get some eggs now and put them under her, and make sure she has a break every day for the first week, is she likely to remember to take herself off the nest to eat and drink and poo while I am away? If she doesn't, will she be OK for a week or is that too long? If I leave it until we get back, should I break the broodiness before we go and hope she goes broody again in August? Will August be too late to hatch? (bearing in mind the chicks will arrive end August/beginning of September) Aaah! Too many questions! I tend to trust my hens to know enough to get off their eggs long enough to poo and have a drink. Get your chook sitter to put some mixed corn on the floor in front of her. She won't be that hungry. I think she'll be okay. We intervened lots in our first hatches then let them get on with it after that. I think August is too late to hatch, IMHO. It means that when mum leaves them (about 6 weeks or so) it will be a colder October without a mum to keep them warm. If you are going to do it, then do it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 Snowy how exciting. I am afraid I have no advise about a broody having only hatched with an incubator twice, once for me and once for a friend. But it was great I really enjoyed it. I was wondering if it was getting a bit late to hatch now. As Tumble the little bantam silkie has turned out to be a boy and I would love a girl or two and just wondered about seeing if I could get a few eggs to hatch before it gets too late in the year Good luck and keep us posted Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted July 13, 2012 Author Share Posted July 13, 2012 Brilliant, thanks Laurie! She is obviously determined because she was off the nest all day yesterday while I deep cleaned the eglu and she is back on the nest this morning, all fluffed up and growling at me! At the moment she is on an empty nest, so I've put a couple of her own eggs under her just to see what she makes of them. She has had breakfast and gone back to sit on them, so I think she is telling me to go get her some babies! Off to hunt for hatching eggs now! Good luck with yours Chrissie - I can't believe how quick the year has gone, I kept thinking I still had plenty of time, it was only when I looked at the dates yesterday that I realised that I may have missed the window of opportunity for hatching! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted July 13, 2012 Author Share Posted July 13, 2012 Have had to do some musical chicken houses - I was going to leave Ping in with her for company until nearer hatching time, but Ping had other ideas. She didn't like Lulu not coming out to play so was harassing her off the nest!! Little Madam! So she has been booted out - she now has her own penned off corner of the big girls run and a little wooden house. She is decidedly unimpressed and is busy shouting at the big girls! Good job she is behind her fence! But Lulu has settled back nicely on her nest and all is peaceful again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batcatz Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 Hi, my broody hen has just hatched 2 beautiful ducklings. I had to lift her off the eggs every day otherwise she wouldn't leave the nest. She spent about 5 to 20 mins off the eggs, did a massive poo, ate some corn, pinched some redcurrants, dust bathed and then went back on them. I would wait or ask the sitter to lift her off the nest every day and gently push out of the coop. I used a teatowel to do this as she pecked, but not hard. Also, check there are no eggs held under her wings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 I've never had a problem with any of my broodies, they've always got up to feed whenever they felt like it. Some spend longer off the nest than others. You could set your watch by Tiger, she'll get off every morning at 9am for about ten minutes Anne of Cleeves, my Marans x CLB is going to be a first time mummy too. I'm also going away for a week while she sits. Mr Griffins cousin lives nearby so she'll be in daily to check on the chooks & cats. I've not spent a fortune on eggs and will say to her that if she notices Anne of Cleeves has abandoned the eggs and given up, just to let her out of the run and put her back in with everyone else. It'll not be the end of the world but hopefully a few days after we return she'll have chicks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superkitty Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 I think Anne of cleeves is a FAB name Hope you manage to find some hatching eggs in time, Olly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
