The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: DJ_Chook on September 10, 2010, 09:26:12 am
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I've a broody pullet who isn't committed. I don't want to break her broodiness as I'm hoping she could be a great mommy.
She's a 16 week old hy-line commercial. I don't think she's in lay yet as her wattles and combs are small & pale. She's in a flock of 20 who have just started to to lay the odd 1 or 2 eggs. Every day I find her sat on the eggs, puffs up, pecks at me, squawks as I lift her off.
Do you think she might stay broody if I have her in a house on her own, and leave some pot eggs under her? See if she makes it to the 21 days?
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If you're using pot eggs it's worth the try to see if she will last. I've just had 2 sucessful hatches from 2 black rocks after being told that hybrids don't go broody!
If you don't want to go the 21 days you could try some day old chicks - have a heat lamp ready just in case - let us know what you do and how you get on!
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sound like poultry puberty!!
stroppy & into babies but not really ready!
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*laugh* poultry puberty
If you don't want to go the 21 days you could try some day old chicks - have a heat lamp ready just in case - let us know what you do and how you get on!
I have some that hatched on Tuesday but I'm too nervous to do it. I've plenty of experience with raising chicks in a brooder and all the looking after they require. Of course a broody can do this role far better than me..but she's only 16 weeks... and I've never had a proper 21 day broody hen before. I'm too much of a chicken to put them under her :chook:
I'm going to see how she lasts, I'm counting 21 days from now. If she is really committed I'll move her to her own house and stick some eggs under her.
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She's not likely to sit for another 21 days after sitting for 21 days now! You would need day old chicks or some eggs from the incubator. I did this with a broody that had only been sitting for 5 days. I had some eggs in the incubator, sat her on pot eggs, then switched them as they were pipping. I only swapped 6, although I had 12 in the incubator, once the chicks had hatched, I just popped them all underneath her.
Let us know what happens. :)