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Hi - we are 12 days into incubating 6 eggs in an incubator. Now one of our chickens is broody. Should I take the eggs from the incubator for her to sit on, or will this mess up the process ? Any advice much appreciated 
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I'd leave them in the incy, and stick some more eggs under the broody!! :-) -
Yes, good plan...a friend has offered me some duck eggs so might give that a go.....seems a shame not to capitalize on it and give her a go at success. She really is nasty hissing and fluffing up when I peep in....she is also nesting where the others like to lay and we had 'chicken wars' yesterday as they tried to get to their favourite spot and she tried to stop them. In the end I moved her to the other nesting box where she seems to have settled. Hopefully the others will be able to lay without being attacked this morning!Comment
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If you intend to let her hatch then move her to a broody coop. There is no guarantee she will stay in her designated nestbox - she may move off her eggs and back to the other one. In a separate coop she can be left in peace and the hatchlings will be safe when they come off.Comment
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Will do - thanks for advice
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Hello everyone. I have recently taken on 2 hens that have always been close. Betty has become very broody and when it was obvious she meant business we popped (fertilized) eggs under her. She is very happy sat there except Pauline is still continuing to get under her, thats how they always slept etc. Betty has started to peck paulines neck but she still manages to get under. As a result we have already lost 2 eggs. We decided that it was obvious to seperate them using wire mesh. she still managed to get through a small gap at the top. Again we removed her and made up a sturdy door where they could still see each other. However Pauline has gone frantic to still get through. She misses her cuddles and I feel so guilty! It takes her ages to settle down. Has anyone else had the same problem? And in the event of successful hatching, will she have to be still kept seperate through their growing up, I am afraid of the chicks being harmed by Pauline...Comment
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if you wish to have a broody hen and chicks you must move Betty to her own quiet coop(I use a large rabbit cage) Do this in the evening, quickly and calmly- shut her in with eggs. You are quite right you are likely to end up with no chicks at this rate. Betty is likely to go off the brood and incubation of these eggs is probably already uneven with all this nonsense. Have you got a plan for any cockerels that will hatch(50%, sometimes all!)
Are there other chickens around? Pauline will get over it if her friend is removed- or you could introduce a new friend for her? Nb: She is likely to kill the chicks when they hatch- to her they are small mice.Comment
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My first ever hatch when I had 3 hens - I set 9 eggs under a broody hen in the hen house. Her friend joined her and they squashed in together and hatched all 9 eggs. Sadly the fox tore into the hen house and killed the nearest mother and 2 chicks on the end of the perch, which was horrendous. http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...milies/mad.gif
The remaining 7 chicks were all females - how lucky was that!
I have since learned the error of my ways and separated broody hens if I gave them eggs.Comment
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