Poorly chicken

[Annabel]

Hi everyone,

It's been a while since I posted on here- hoping someone may be able to offer their thoughts.

I would like to hatch out 6 eggs (homes lined up for 6 cockerels just in case)... I have ex-caged hens one of which surprised me by going broody at the beginning of the week, puffing out, growling, plucking out some of her feathers but after around 5 hours, she comes down and walks around eating and drinking, falling asleep in the sun for the rest of the day.  If another chicken approaches her or my kids, she will again puff out making her broody noises but doesn't return to the egg box until her time to lay the next day.  I also put some supermarket eggs out in the run for her in a secluded place- she observed them and then went about her day.

Then yesterday morning, my leghorn started sitting on the eggs (unfertile at this stage), growling etc and again this morning.  She lasts around 4-5 hours  and then hangs out with the flock sunbathing.  I know that these breeds are not supposed to go broody and that broodiness is contagious but I'm wondering if others have experienced this sort of behaviour to find that the broodys then become committed?

I have some eggs arriving and have hatched out before successfully under broody hens but I think this is going to have to be an incubator scenario (which I need to purchase)?  What do you think?

 

tThanks for any thoughtsxx

 

[Beantree]

Leghorns are very poor broodies and ex-batts are a Leghorn derivative, so I don't expect them to be much better. No point in putting eggs under them if they are going to lose interest after a day or so because the eggs will get too cold. Broodies would sit tight on eggs for the first 7 days to maintain the temperature.

Looks like you will be shopping for an incubator. We have Spanish and Italian semi-autos, so you need to turn the eggs by pulling or pushing the handle 3 or 5 times a day. Humidity is controlled crudely by water bowls in the unit. Cheap enough and they work well for us. Get a hygrometer to check the humidity as you may find you don't need any water at all for the first 18 days. Then you need a candler to check the development of the air sac and the fertility of the eggs, so infertile can be removed. Don't forget the steriliser solution for the eggs prior to setting. Good luck.

[Annabel]

Thank you - I've seen a good bundle on here with Omlet and as we will be away for two days towards the end, I'll get the Auto Brinsea one I think.

We hatched last time under a Campine and Cream Legbar (who joined in on fake eggs for the last 8 days) - both breeds unlikely to go broody.  The Campine was so commited until they were born where she would attack one of the chicks and the Legbar ended up adopting both and was the best mum - bit of a tag team.  

Thanks for your advice x

[mullethunter]

Wow! My campine can barely keep still long enough to lay an egg let alone brood some! I did have a Wyandotte bantam who did exactly the same as your campine though and actually ate one of the chicks 🙈

Good luck with your incubator hatch.

[Beantree]

You've reminded me of our first attempt under a broody @mullethunter. She was a Buff Orpington and was given 12 eggs to sit on, which she did very well and we had to lift her off every day to make her use her legs, because they can sit too long and cripple themselves. But in our inexperience we picked a hen that was too young and she ate the first 6 that hatched; we kept finding broken egg shells but no chicks and no other possible conclusion because the coop was rat proof. We rescued the last 4 and finished them in an incubator.

[Daphne]

Yuk - I've never had this problem, I never realised how lucky I was!

[Annabel]

Gosh that is pretty disgusting.  I wonder what goes through their heads esp as they are sitting on eggs that they intend to hatch?

Yeah I was told the Campine was really rare to go broody and she was sooooo flighty that she was laying clutches in neighbours gardens, bushes, reeds by our pond - all over the place and it was that determination that made me decide to actually give her 3 eggs that she could become a mum with.

Thanks again and I'll post my pictures if we end up successful!

[Luvachicken]

You're welcome to borrow my Pekins 

[Cat tails]

On 5/15/2022 at 6:50 PM, Luvachicken said:

You're welcome to borrow my Pekins 

Or my Dutch bantam, who has been broody for over 4 weeks now… 🙄

[Annabel]

On 5/15/2022 at 5:50 PM, Luvachicken said:

You're welcome to borrow my Pekins 

ha ha!  I need a fluffy incubator of my own!  I have one Buff Orpington in this hatch so fingers crossed, I'll have my own!  Thank you though lol xxxx