[Badger]

Hi, we recently brought 6 live eggs to put under 2 broody hens. This is our first time at trying this. Once or twice a day we are manually putting them out into the run to feed & drink. A couple of days ago our RI Red was the first back into the nesting box, and nicked one of the eggs from the other broodies nest. Next morning they both somehow had 3 each again. Today The Red is now sitting on all 6 eggs !. Should we keep redistributing the eggs equally, or just leave them to it ?.

Badger

[CameronS]

I would split them up and give them three each, by leaving two to fight over 6 you are going to have a greater chance of egg being bust, or not covered propperly, also you may(not allways) have problems when the chicks hatch and the hens may fight and steal the other chicks.

 I would let the hens go out naturally to eat/drink/dust bath, but make sure they cannot range to far from the nest.

[jaykay]

I pen my broodies separately, each one has a little house and small run, with food, water and a dustbath (with diatomaceous earth added). That way no-one picks on anyone or steals their eggs and they can come and go as they please in the day - I shut them in safe at night.

[Badger]

STOP PRESS, Just manually put both hens back into the run again. (If we did not, I don't think they would come out under their own steam ). All change again, both hens are now sitting on 3 eggs each !. Think we are going to leave them as they are and see what happens. By the way the eggs are Nankin bantams, which are apparently very rare. If some hatch, we will be looking to sell some if anybody might be interested ?.

[CameronS]

(If we did not, I don't think they would come out under their own steam ).

I had one that came off only once a week and others that have not at all. The hens are not stupid if they don't need to then they won't if they do they will, really here is very little need for human intervention.

Not by anymeans trying to sound rude, but this constant moving of the eggs between hens is a disaster waiting to happen especially if they are rare, i really would urge you to split them up.

[daddymatty82]

my silver partridge pekin has not left the nest all week iv just made sure there is enough water and corn i have orderd my eggs and shnould arrive on wednesday so will stick 6 under her and 6 in my inky and just see what i get. but main thing is i dont force them out wen broody as that may break them then where will you be with half cooked fertile's ?

[southwestpoultry]

We can add our experience to this post, we have a trio of Golden Partridge Pekin Bantams and the two females went broody at the same time, but were not sat on any eggs so we put 6 eggs under them as we had quite a few that were due to go in to the incubator.
We did as Badger did put 3 under each, after a week we noticed that they had split it 6 under one and 4 under the other so we changed it back, this happened again when they popped out for some food so we decided to leave them be.

Because the trio are in a separate area with their own little house we put some food and water in little dishes just in case they wanted something, they did occasionally come out over the 21 days but we were not overly concerned.
They eventually hatched 4 of the 6 and are now bringing up their chicks as a happy family of 1 cockerel, 2 Hens (Obviously 2 mummies or a mummy and nanny) It is so sweet when they wander round together with the little chicks jumping on and off the girls backs and onto the little outside perch they have.

This is our experience and we thought we would share it.

Regards
Robert & Sarah.

South West Poultry.

[Badger]

Just to clarify, we have only moved the eggs once I think. All the other movement of the eggs has been done by the 2 hens themselves. It seems the general consensus is that we should not force the hens out to eat & drink. We will indeed go with popular opinion and try that. Thanks to all who have replied.

Badger