Are Broodies like buses.....................................?

[Suechooks]

As I've posted previously, I've had broody after broody all year till I REALLY wanted one to hatch some meat chicks, when they all started laying in earnest!
So I put the Hubbard eggs in the incubator - 9 days to go.
Last night could only count 3 Silkies not 4. Searched run to find Poppy flattened on 2 pot eggs in the broody coop! HURRAY! Shut her in and waited for the others to go to bed. Minnie Silkie starts running frantically round and round the closed broody coop, so I let her in where she immediately flattened herself on the eggs close up to Poppy. This morning Poppy decided to come out to scoff the pot of mixed corn I'd left in the run for them, but Minnie stayed put!
Will they won't they?
If they stay put today and tomorrow I think I'll chance moving the eggs from the incy - I'm not convinced many of them are viable anyway so I really don't want to keep them at home if I can possibly help it - if there were 5 or 6 identical they might remain anonymous but 1 or 2...............

[polo]

Definitely like buses. My two have finally given up - got first egg of one of them yesterday for around 2 months. Still waiting for the other to start laying. my workmates laugh at me when I tell them hens are the most hormonal things I know...

[RichmondHens]

Fingers crossed they stay put. Silkies are pretty reliable though so I'm sure they'll be fine.

My last hatch of the season is due off tomorrow. Then I'm done - phew. No more till next Spring. TBH I'm quite relieved. It will be nice to clean up and re paint the broody coops and get them packed away for the winter. I have two lots of little ones (5-6 weeks old) who will be going out into bigger enclosures in a couple of weeks and that will make life easier too.

[Snadger]

*** Reminds me...............must get some silkies to save using my incy***

[Suechooks]

*** Reminds me...............must get some silkies to save using my incy***

Thats why I kept hold of these when the fox got their pals! My current idea is to do meat birds under them so I can stay detached! We'll see!!! Off to the lottie now to see who's stayed put all morning!

[jessmorris]

Yep, deffo. Mine were all happily rootling about in the garden...then Buffy the big silkin went down on one porcelain egg in one broody coop, I found Penny pekin under some nettles on 10 of her own eggs, Shirley has disappeared except to appear at feedtimes, and Deirdre has hunkered down on 3 new pot eggs in another broody coop.
So tomorrow I'm going to buy 10 Wyandotte banty eggs and share them out between Buffy and Deirdre for one last hatch. Fingers crossed.
JM

[Suechooks]

Well last night Poppy had given up and gone back to rootling around with Alfie the Gold laced Wyandotte cockerel who adores her and constantly calls her to enjoy the little treats he finds her! However Minnie had repositioned herself in Poppy's broody coop so I've closed the run so she has peace from the others and if she's still there tonight I'll put the incubating eggs under her and hope for the best! With only a week to go I can't hang around too long! Fingers crossed!

[RichmondHens]

How many eggs do you have in the machine? I would be inclined to give the hen a bit longer. Then maybe put just a couple under and see if she settles on them. You can add the rest later or when they pip. It just means you won't lose the whole lot if she gives up in a week, and you also have the machine still running if that is the case to rescue the two abandoned eggs.

[Suechooks]

Theres only 6 in the incy and I'm pretty sure 2 are duds. The girlie who is sitting now did sit for 6 weeks on nothing earlier in the year! The problem is the hen is at the allotment (but she's moved happily on her own into the broody coop and has 2 pot eggs under her) and the eggs are at home. I think I'll move some tonight anyway - maybe 1 active and the 2 duds and give her a chance then move the others in a couple of days!
Oh decisions decisions decisions!