Chicken boarders

[Chicken deficient]

Please could I have a bit of advice about getting hatching eggs to go under a broody.

 

My plan is to wait for a Pekin to start looking broody, observe her for 24-48 hours to make sure she is not going to change her mind and then get some hatching eggs. However, there will probably be a wait before the eggs are laid, obtained and ready to go under the hen. How long can I afford to let her be broody for, before actually giving her eggs to sit on? I don't want her to say 'time's up' when it isn't!

 

Also, what is the idea time of year to do this - sooner rather than later I imagine?

 

Thanks!

[daxigirl]

Edna showed signs of broodiness so I bought her indoors (cat basket with door bowl nest) and gave her a couple of their own blank eggs to sit on. She settled quite firmly straight away so I won some for her on a popular bidding website, which came a couple of days later. All worked fine. So don't panic that you can leave it too long a couple of days won't hurt.

[miller30]

Ive had broodys sitting on nothing for a week while I decide what I want them to sit on if they are properly broody they wont give up leanne

[atsw]

Pekins have a great reputation as Broody Hens. For the hatch my Caramel has just completed, she showed signs of broodiness on Friday 5th April. On Monday 8th I moved her to a guinea pig cage and gave her 4 of her own eggs to sit on. That day I also purchased the Silver Laced Wyandotte eggs. SLW Eggs arrived Thursday 11th, I checked each for any faults, then left them at room temperature, pointy end down, for 24hrs. On Friday 12th I swapped the four Pekin eggs for the 6 SLW eggs - Biscuit didn't seem to notice that two more egg had appeared while she was 'on a break', or that they were now somewhat bigger than before!

 

For me, Friday 12th was 'day zero'. On the evening of day 20 three eggs were pipping. Later that night 1 chick was out. By the following morning (day 21) I had 2 chicks and by that afternoon there was three.

 

On day 23, Biscuit abandoned the three remaining unhatched eggs to take full charge of her three chicks. I removed the three eggs and inspected each. Two were infertile, one contained a fully grown chick that had failed to start breaking out of it's shell .

 

Andrew

[miller30]

Oh and I forgot to say my pekins hatch my turkey eggs and that takes 28 days they are persistant leanne

[sjp]

Please could I have a bit of advice about getting hatching eggs to go under a broody.

 

My plan is to wait for a Pekin to start looking broody, observe her for 24-48 hours to make sure she is not going to change her mind and then get some hatching eggs. However, there will probably be a wait before the eggs are laid, obtained and ready to go under the hen. How long can I afford to let her be broody for, before actually giving her eggs to sit on? I don't want her to say 'time's up' when it isn't!

 

Also, what is the idea time of year to do this - sooner rather than later I imagine? My best hatches have been January/February and June/July my worst hatch was last weekend 1/8 no been eaten at day 9 the rest DIS this is the 4th hatch at this time of year that's been poor both under a broody and in a incubator. but if you use a broody then you have to wait until they want to be a mommy

 

Thanks!