[StephB]

Hi all,

We have 6 Light Sussex hens and Ivor, our Light Sussex Cockerel    free range in our 1/2 acre orchard.

We have only been getting 1-2 eggs per day as they only started laying in October, but as its the winter we were quite happy with that.

I was just giving them the remains of my pastry from baking and I noticed one of the hens were missing.  She suddenly came running up from the bottom corner of the orchard and I wondered if maybe she had layed an egg down there, so I went to investigate.

What I found was 13 eggs in a nest deep in the back of the blackthorn bushes. 

I am not sure what to do?.  Ivor has been quite active with the hens so do you think she is trying to lay enough to then go broody and incubate them.?  I am not sure how broody light Sussex are?.  Should I leave them and wait for her to go broody and then transfer her to a coop of her own, or should I remove them all and try to incubate them myself.  (I have an Octagon 20 with egg turner).

I checked she wasn't looking and crawled in, they are all cold so she definitely hasn't been sitting on them so far.

They are obviously too old to dare eating so feel i should do something with them, I could do with some more laying hens.

What would you do??

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
Steph 

[doganjo]

Leave a few in case she decides to sit,  and put the rest in the incy - you can candle them and see if they are fertile.

[darkbrowneggs]

If you are not bothered about having chicks so early, just try the float test on them.  The higher up they are in the water the staler.  Fresh ones should lie on the bottom.  The just to be perfectly sure break each one in a saucer before using it.  If it looks and smells like a fresh egg, then it is fine for eating. 

A TEST was done a few years ago and kept in cool sealed conditions, and not covered with poo, (which I assume yours aren't, otherwise they are not fit to incubate anyway), eggs are fine for weeks and weeks.

[StephB]

I have taken the plunge and removed them all and stuck them in the incubator.  I wasnt planning on having chicks so early in the year but have all the equipment to keep them warm and safe so may as well give it a go.

Feel abit sorry for her, for when she realises all her eggs are gone, but it isn't really a very sensible place to lay eggs.  It is too far away from the rest of the birds and i'm worried a fox might get her so far away in the bushes.

Will keep an eye on that spot from now on.

Will let you know if any are fertile. xxx

Thanks for your help
Steph

[manian]

I am not sure how broody light Sussex are?. 

our light sussex has been broody spring/summer for the past 2 years. Last year she successfully reared 3 turkeys for me



Mx

[StephB]

Thats good to know Manian, if this lot does'nt work then maybe they can incubate some in the spring.

xx

[chrismahon]

She's probably too young to brood anyway. They should be two years old otherwise immaturity causes problems -ours ate the chicks as they hatched.

[StephB]

She's probably too young to brood anyway. They should be two years old otherwise immaturity causes problems -ours ate the chicks as they hatched.

   Crikey

[JEP]

are light Sussex went broody at just over 12 months hatched them all
out no problems & looked after them till we had to get rid of the boys

[BlueDaisy]

Our speckled sussex first went broody at about a year old and has been a perfect mum every time, and a perfect easy to look after broody!

[Dizzycow]

Steph, would you mind if I hijack your thread for a bit? Rather than starting my own on a very similar thread!

I also have a LS who I suspect is broody. She has, over the last few weeks, spent a few 24hr periods brooding, but then up and left, gone back to the coop. Now she has been brooding a clutch for at least 48 hours. What I really want to know is whether they do a bit of practice brooding (which may apply to yours, Steph) before going for the full 21 days?

Ours lay in  a disused guinea pig hutch filled with straw. All 12 of them. As she's hogging the hutch the others are laying in the hen house, in nests which they roost in. Another thread, I know. The eggs are poopy.  If she is indeed brooding, should I supply her with some water and feed?

Thanks! 

[doganjo]

Yes, I would put water and food close by - she will come off and eat and drink then go back on if she is truly broody

[StephB]

No worries Dizzycow.  It appears mine might all be suffering from cocci at the moment, so unsure wether I should be incubating these eggs anyway as it might well pass down to the chicks  .

Best of luck with your broody Ls, It might be a good idea to let her practice, especially as they are laid in such a nice safe place.  Mine was too far away from the rest of the birds, deep in a hedge which just struck me as a prime place to feed the fox  .

xxx