eve Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 hi yesterday put 8 eggs under my broody.its my first time so any advice please.i moved her three days before with dud eggs to make sure she would sit. how long to hatch?? i have her in my shed away from the bantams. when they hatch how long before i put them outside?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazard Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 8 eggs is alot for a bantam i have bantams and 4 eggs was plenty for her to sit on and we hatched our first chick on day 22 the other eggs were not fertile. good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 3, 2010 Share Posted May 3, 2010 8 eggs is a lot, she will probably kick out some duds though 21 days till hatching, the day they went under the broody is day 0 They can go outside with mum from a few days old but they need their own protected space Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazard Posted May 3, 2010 Share Posted May 3, 2010 my chick is nearly two weeks old and went out with mother hen for the first time today it was so funny she/he was running round with a juicey worm in its beak with the other hen trailing behind and the cockrel watching from the side lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eve Posted May 4, 2010 Author Share Posted May 4, 2010 can you belive it the little madam has laid a egg today!!!!! they are all cold so let her out.hope i have more luck with the next broody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 5, 2010 Share Posted May 5, 2010 You need to let them sit for a good few days to establish whether they actually are broody before setting any eggs. Buy a couple of pot eggs and pop them under the next broody and see if she'll sit on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted May 5, 2010 Share Posted May 5, 2010 I got some fake eggs for Blossom to sit on ...beautiful shade of teal they are...she refused to go near them, unexploded bombs that they are .............once they were replaced with her "sisters" real eggs she squealed with delight & settled happily on them I wonder if she can count too as she's on 2 eggs at the mo & I have 6 to pop under her this evening when she's sleepy Who said chooks were daft Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted May 5, 2010 Share Posted May 5, 2010 hi yesterday put 8 eggs under my broody.its my first time so any advice please.i moved her three days before with dud eggs to make sure she would sit. how long to hatch?? i have her in my shed away from the bantams. when they hatch how long before i put them outside?? They are contrary little madams aren't they! She may well still have the broody bug, so you could try leaving her in her separate accommodation for a couple more days, with some spare eggs (marked) to encourage her. Unless of course, she's up and about, shouting her head off and demanding to be returned to her mates! An odd number of eggs is usually recommended as they more easily form a circle. It's better to have her on slightly too few eggs and too many, otherwise they will get chilled and hatching will be affected. There are bantams and there are bantams, so five eggs will be enough for some and others can easily take seven, it really depends on the size of the hen and the eggs. I've never had a broody chuck a dud egg out of the nest and I suspect they don't actually know in any case, afterall they'll sit on pot eggs or golf balls, or absolutely nothing at all. I've found that my bantam eggs reliably hatch under a broody in 19 days, but LF take the full 21 days. During late spring and summer, my mums and chicks are outside from day one, in a secure run with lots of shelter from the weather. Chicks on their own (incubator hatched) would need to be around the 6 week mark. Hope she makes her mind up sooner rather than later for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
