We have 6 hens and 1 rooster. All six chickens are laying and we would like to let them hatch some chicks. We have been letting the eggs accumulate in the next boxes. There are about a dozen in each of the three boxes. How long do we just leave the eggs before one or more of the hens start setting. They are 18 months old and have never set before. Thanks, Doug

-- Doug (KY) (toadshutes@yahoo.com), March 07, 2001

Answers

What breed are your chickens? Is it starting to look like spring where you are? I have a few sure setters that I will allow to gather eggs in off places that they choose. Otherwise, I just collect the eggs daily. Usually if a hen is going to get broody she will do it whether or not there are eggs. I have several brooders, but have never figured out a way to get them to brood before they decide on their own. When I see that one stays in the nest box overnight, and if she has plucked her breast and otherwise acts broody, I like to give her fresh eggs to start. The community nest boxes, by the way, are not usually the best place for a setting hen, as the others will fight her for the nest, and often foul her eggs. I recently had a hen set eggs that way for two weeks before another hen evidently decided she wanted that nest really badly, and actually blinded the poor thing. It is better if they can have a place to themselves. Hope yours will sit for you. It's a lot of fun when you get a good hatch. mary

-- mary, texas (marylgarcia@aol.com), March 07, 2001.

Well, I'd suggest you consider the night temperatures. How cold is it getting yet? Are the eggs you are collecting staying warm? If I am right, I believe they have to stay above 56 degrees and if they get colder than that, they are no good to try to hatch out. Do you have an incubation book to refer to?

-- Pat (mikulptrc@aol.com), March 07, 2001.

I put plastic Easter eggs in some of the nest to see if any chickens are interesting in setting. This way, I continue to collect eggs until I see a hen broody, then I exchange the plastic eggs for real ones. I also mark these eggs since I found that other chicken do continue to lay eggs in this nest as soon as she leaves to eat.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), March 07, 2001.

We found a secret nest in our hay one time. It was obvious all the eggs were from the same young pullet (a Danish Leghorn). There were 44 eggs! Based on this, you could wait a long time.

-- David C. (fleece@eritter.net), March 07, 2001.

I had the same question...How do I know they are broody?? None of my hens seem to want to set...if the rooster only mates with the Golden Comet, and the Polish become broody, then what? Ulysses(my rooster) only likes the Golden Comets, and even my giant Light Brahma hen gets no action. So does that mean that only the Comets eggs are fertilized?? I'm only a couple-year chicken person. Thanks.

-- Michele Rae Padgett (michelesmelodyfarm@Yahoo.com), March 08, 2001.

I can tell when mine are broody because they won't get out of a nest. I can pull them out and they'll keep going back in, sitting on any egg they can find. I had a Banti that would sit on anything. I think it would sit on an Emu egg if one was available. This means there is no reason your Polish can't sit on another hen's eggs. I could never figure out how to candle an egg which would be the only way to see if it is fertile. My rooster loves all the girls so I don't have to worry.

By the way, I put day old chicks under brooding hens at night and they will accept the chicks as if they are their own, even if they were sitting on the eggs for only one day. This way I have three weeks to get the chicks I want.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), March 08, 2001.

The surest signs that a hen is broody are that she remains in the nest at night instead of returning to the roost, and you will probably find that she has plucked her breast. Some will also become quite protective of their nest(whether or not they actually have eggs) and when they leave it to feed, will strut around like a turkey, feathers standing out and fussing about. You don't have to let her set her own eggs. Trade them out for the ones you want her to hatch. It's best for all concerned if she sits where the other hens will not disturb her. (If she has to be moved, try to do it at night. Move the eggs then move her to them.)

-- mary, texas (marylgarcia@aol.com), March 08, 2001.

Before I was totally set up, all the hens laid eggs in the same place out in the open. It was quite a pile! Hens won't set until they feel the clutch is large enough. Some of the nights were down in the 20's. I left the eggs alone to see what would happen. One of the hens started setting. The eggs all hatched, and mama brought the little ones to the pens that were finally completed. I think what surprised me most was that no predators took the eggs, hens, chicks!

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), March 10, 2001.

Not all breeds of chickens will hatch out their eggs! Just imagine those huge chicken farms that produce eggs for the nation - if all their hens would suddenly become broody no eggs would be laid. I found the surest breed of hen is one that has part Bantam in it. You can hardly stop them, and they will hatch anything you put under (i.e. peacock eggs, guineas, ducks, etc.) Karin

-- karin macaulay (kmacaulay@co.brazos.tx.us), March 14, 2001.