The Poultry Keeper The Independent Forum for Poultry Keepers    FAQ   Search     Register   Log in  Please advise need help with broodies.....          The Poultry Keeper Forum Index -> Eggs and Growers Author Message Viv Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 264 Location: Northumberland Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 5:16 pm    Post subject: Please advise need help with broodies..... Hi, My 2 broodies are in together, get along fine with partition between them and share same run. 1 of them however is not as good a broody (her first time) She has managed to break 5 eggs now and today I had to remove partition as she had made such a mess. She doesn't leave box to do her business like the other one and unless I'm around to remove her messes over the eggs She had 1 egg left and whilst I was disinfecting mess out the other broody pinched her egg. Now all eggs under 1 broody. Would it be ever so cruel for me not to let her back into broody enclosure and either pop her into a spare henhse for next couple days to come out broodiness or remove the 1 egg and let her back in ??? She's dustbathing at moment. Yesterday I cleaned up a right mess and the latch on gate opened into bottom garden and all hell broke loose, the cockeral was attempting to tread her and another hen fighting with her(Not too nasty- a pecking order thingy) Please what would you do Many thanks in advance Back to top JustChickens Joined: 24 Mar 2008 Posts: 855 Location: Sussex Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 5:28 pm    Post subject: I would let then one hen incubate them all. If shes broken all the other eggs and the other hen is sitting on it... then i would try and break her broodiness Back to top CP Moderator Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 15394 Location: Hampshire Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 6:01 pm    Post subject: If she's managed to break 5 already I wouldn't trust her with the last one. You could let her sit on pot eggs & try to foster 1 or 2 from the other hen when they hatch. That's if there's enough to go round... Back to top Henwife Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3202 Location: Monmouthshire Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 6:53 pm    Post subject: Put the careless broody back with the flock. Back to top Viv Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 264 Location: Northumberland Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 11:26 pm    Post subject: Thank you. My other broody now has 8 eggs under her, shes a good mum and I kept the other one out bless her (She was just too clumsy, fidgety and dirty) She has joined the flock but tonight she is at opposite side hen house full of hell and she had pinched one of the girls eggs so I didn't have the heart to remove it. Annoyingly 4 out of the 5 eggs broken were fertile Here's hoping the others, or at least some hatch Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First         The Poultry Keeper Forum Index -> Eggs and Growers All times are GMT + 1 Hour Page 1 of 1 Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group