Difference between normal laying and preparation for going broody???

Jaye · Post by **Jaye** » Wed May 04, 2016 8:52 pm

Hey thanks, Doug and Kenya - I learned something new today ...I will try leaving some fake eggs in my Silkie's favourite nest box. She's been teasing me about going broody for over a month now. :-|

Lori · Post by **Lori** » Mon May 16, 2016 2:50 pm

Thanks for all the advice guys, you obviously know what you're talking about ...... today is day 1 of the big 21 day countdown!!! I've been stealing and hoarding eggs like a jewel thief, and I gave her 6 golf balls in place of them. She has been rolling them out of her nesting box every single day in the past 2 weeks. I put them in, she kicks them out. Then today I went out there and she was sitting on the golf balls looking all flattened out. I picked her up and as soon as I set her down she went right back on the golf balls and started tucking them right back under her. I'm so excited!!! I put her in an old dog kennel and put it in the coop so she can still see the others, gave her some food and water and the real eggs, and she settled right down on them!!!

Post by **Killerbunny** » Mon May 16, 2016 2:52 pm

Yup, that sounds like it! Great fun they are.

kenya · Post by **kenya** » Mon May 16, 2016 3:15 pm

Oh how exciting, good luck!

Jaye · Post by **Jaye** » Mon May 16, 2016 3:58 pm

Lori wrote:QR_BBPOST Thanks for all the advice guys, you obviously know what you're talking about ...... today is day 1 of the big 21 day countdown!!! I've been stealing and hoarding eggs like a jewel thief, and I gave her 6 golf balls in place of them. She has been rolling them out of her nesting box every single day in the past 2 weeks. I put them in, she kicks them out. Then today I went out there and she was sitting on the golf balls looking all flattened out. I picked her up and as soon as I set her down she went right back on the golf balls and started tucking them right back under her. I'm so excited!!! I put her in an old dog kennel and put it in the coop so she can still see the others, gave her some food and water and the real eggs, and she settled right down on them!!!

I don't know if I'm stating the obvious to you here, but just in case, I thought I'd mention that it's a good idea to have the feed and water just outside the broody nest, so that she does have to get up once in a while to stretch her legs, grab some sustenance and hopefully deposit her broody p00p somewhere other than in the nest.

I love broody hens.

Enjoy!

windwalkingwolf · Post by **windwalkingwolf** » Mon May 16, 2016 11:16 pm

Ahh, the 'flattened hen' LOL! I love those broodies in particular, because they can cover more eggs than the broodies that just kind of sit there :D Good luck to her and you, at this stressful time lol

Ontario Chick · Post by **Ontario Chick** » Tue May 17, 2016 9:06 am

I think a good broody is completely stress free, way better then any incubator anyway! :)
Sounds like you are well on your way to a new bunch of chicks.

Shnookie · Post by **Shnookie** » Wed May 18, 2016 10:31 pm

I had an Ameraucana hen go broody for a while once. The eggs she had weren't fertile. I let her sit for a while, then I moved her to another pen to break her out of it. While she was sitting, her nails got really long. If I had an actual broody, and she needed her nails cut, would it be too disruptive to do it while she was setting? Would I wait until after the hatch?