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Author Topic: Staying broody.  (Read 1658 times)

DJ_Chook

  • Joined Jun 2009
  • Mid Wales
  • Chicken mad, nothing else just chickens.
Staying broody.
« on: September 10, 2010, 09:26:12 am »
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?
Chicken nutter extraordinaire.

Sharondp

  • Joined Jun 2009
Re: Staying broody.
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2010, 01:45:15 pm »
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!

little blue

  • Joined Jun 2009
  • Derbyshire
Re: Staying broody.
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2010, 07:18:32 pm »
sound like poultry puberty!!
stroppy & into babies but not really ready!
Little Blue

DJ_Chook

  • Joined Jun 2009
  • Mid Wales
  • Chicken mad, nothing else just chickens.
Re: Staying broody.
« Reply #3 on: September 11, 2010, 07:13:50 pm »


*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.
Chicken nutter extraordinaire.

Sharondp

  • Joined Jun 2009
Re: Staying broody.
« Reply #4 on: September 11, 2010, 07:37:13 pm »
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.  :)

 

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