First Timer Broody Hen Questions

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kenya
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Re: First Timer Broody Hen Questions

Post by kenya » Wed Jul 24, 2019 3:21 pm

Take her out of the crate and remove the eggs that will encourage her to give up being broody. Sorry you didn't get any chicks, must have been infertile eggs.
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Killerbunny
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Re: First Timer Broody Hen Questions

Post by Killerbunny » Wed Jul 24, 2019 3:24 pm

Oh sorry. Perhaps another year?
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amberalora
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Re: First Timer Broody Hen Questions

Post by amberalora » Thu Jul 25, 2019 10:42 am

Yes, hopefully next year. I'm surprised the eggs were no good, I only had two hens in with the rooster and I've seen him breed them both. Maybe the genetics are too close on my two Wyandottes. Or like I said before, maybe they had been on the counter too long.

I have 3 Wyandotte pullets that are not related that will be going in with the flock, so hopefully we have better luck next year. I will learn how to candle eggs too so we don't repeat this :)

Thanks for all of your help everyone, I feel a lot better prepared to try again next time!
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Jaye
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Re: First Timer Broody Hen Questions

Post by Jaye » Thu Jul 25, 2019 10:56 am

Is it possible that your rooster is infertile? How old is he?
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amberalora
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Re: First Timer Broody Hen Questions

Post by amberalora » Thu Jul 25, 2019 11:13 am

He is a year old, so are my hens. I bought them as day olds last July. How common is infertility?
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Re: First Timer Broody Hen Questions

Post by Ontario Chick » Thu Jul 25, 2019 11:36 am

Did you candle the eggs to find out if the eggs were actually clear?
Or if some development started and then for whatever reason stopped?
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Jaye
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Re: First Timer Broody Hen Questions

Post by Jaye » Thu Jul 25, 2019 12:03 pm

I agree with OC, the way to confirm whether the eggs were actually clear (infertile) is to candle at some point during incubation, or to open up the eggs after you removed them post-incubation.
I'm not sure how common or uncommon infertility in roosters is, but infertility does increase as roosters age. Since your rooster is only a year old, the chance of infertility is not high.
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Re: First Timer Broody Hen Questions

Post by amberalora » Thu Jul 25, 2019 12:11 pm

I opened them up last night when I took them out of the coop. There was no development at all.

I should have tried candling them earlier in incubation but I assumed that at least some of them would be fertile and I’d just let the hen do her thing and see what we ended up with. Lesson learned.
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Jaye
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Re: First Timer Broody Hen Questions

Post by Jaye » Thu Jul 25, 2019 12:49 pm

Hmmm. I'm just spit-balling here now, but when you opened the eggs up, did you by any chance notice any blastodiscs or balstoderms on any of the yolks?
I don't know if it's even possible that there would be, because I've never actually looked for that post-incubation, but if they were, then that might be a way to determine if they were fertilized.
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Killerbunny
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Re: First Timer Broody Hen Questions

Post by Killerbunny » Thu Jul 25, 2019 1:29 pm

Bikini wax for all!
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:iheartpto:
Beltsville Small White turkeys.
Mutt chickens for eggs
RIP Stephen the BSW Tom and my coffee companion.
RIP Lucky the Very Brave Splash Wyandotte rooster.
RIP little Muppet the rescue cat.
:turkey:

:bat:

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