Old english bantam hen sitting on about 10 eggs

[polenslager]

My little hen is setting (sitting?) on about 10 eggs. She has done it twice now in the past and has given up
on her eggs. Once in the hen house, she laid them up on a hay bale that was being stored in the back room of the coop.

The other time it was late fall/early winter and getting cold. I moved her and the eggs but she abandoned them. I figured
I'd rather save her at the time. I have one little old English rooster and a mix of 12 hens, on large rooster that live together.

Anyways I don't want to disturb her too much, but she has laid her eggs in a nest box (an old cabinet drawer) that is screwed to the wall about three feet off the floor. It had a bit of straw in it and an empty feed sack over top it.

I think I have about another week before they hatch if they do. My problem is how high the box is off the ground and how
best to proceed.
I will have to move the chicks at some point.
The box is about 12 tall, by 16" wide by about 22" long I might be able to fit a chick water and feeder in the back but
it would be cramped.

Not sure what to do.
What would you suggest?

 

[sourland]

I would be reluctant to move her prior to the eggs hatching since that did not work last time. When the eggs start hatching, temporarily screen her in the box with chicken wire. Once all the chicks have hatched (24 to 36 hours) move her and the chicks to a brood pen.

 

[polenslager]

Since this will be my first time, with chicks hatching..
I have a couple of questions.

It sounds good and very doable on screening her in. Now why do I want to do that? Is it so she does not abandon the rest?

Do I want to give her food and water while she is screened in? What about the chicks that are hatched as far as food and water.

And even tho it took her ten days or so to lay the eggs, I am assuming its still one egg a day or so, it does not take longer for
them to hatch?

 

[barkinghills]

Hi,

My best little mama hen here has been an Old English game bantam. Here's what I've learned from her:

-leave her where she is until all eggs hatch. She will get off the nest to eat/drink when she needs to. You don't need feed/water directly in her nesting area while she broods as long as she is free to come and go.

-the eggs should all hatch within 24-36 hours as someone else mentioned. Have you candled the eggs at all to see which are fertile/developing? There are good threads here and info online about candling if you've never done it before. If they have just a week to go the eggs with chicks in them will appear to mostly dark with an air cell, and you may or may not see veins along the shell in the air cell. Eggs that are clear or have a slightly cloudy blob (old yolk, no chick in there) at this point should be discarded.

-The newly hatching chicks will stay under her. You can sprinkle a handful of chick start crumbles near the mama and she will call her chicks to eat it…the cutest thing ever! I would try to put a small waterer in there once the chicks start to hatch.

-once everyone is hatched in 24-36 hours you can move them all quickly to the new place you have ready. If you scoop up all the chicks mama will follow right along, but she is going to be agitated when you scoop up the chicks. Just do it as quickly as possible then everyone can settle in to the new area.

-if there are unhatched eggs after 24-36 hours they are not going to hatch. Mama will keep hoping though, so at some point you have to decide to remove any unhatched eggs so she will get up and start caring for her new chicks. If you candle this shouldn't be so much of a problem.

My mama hen set laid a secret nest in my feed greenhouse, up on the bench, in a small plastic tub that was about 11 x 14" and 3 feet off the ground. I moved her with her babies once they hatched and the transition was smooth.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

 

[polenslager]

She left the nest for a few minutes so I took a couple pics of her eggs and the nest box she picked. She is the tiny black thing below my big rooster in the bottom
picture. Her rooster is tiny and more colorful. I put cardboard on her nest box yesterday when she was out in place of the dusty feed
sack and got out all my brooder supplies.
Bought some chick starter so that is done. I have a wire mesh dog crate panel I can put on the nest box once eggs hatch if they do. I have a small chicken waterer I can use in her
box if needed. So far so good. She does come and go as she likes and the room she is in is quiet.

I have not candled any eggs yet. Read about it and will try next time she leaves her nest.

 

[polenslager]

Time for an update...

The little hen is still sitting on the eggs. After some more reading, I am not sure of when I should / should have started counting the days. I think I started it at couple of days after I realized my little hen was missing and found her in the nest box. Seeing the ten eggs I assumed there was ten days. But after reading more and more, its after she stays on the nest almost 24/7 or is done laying right?

Anyways, two days ago I moved a little of the hay out of her box to make room for a chick waterer.. that went good, while I got the stink eye she stayed on the eggs.

So we wait!

 

[polenslager]

Well no eggs have hatched, and I have given it plenty of time, I believe it has been 30 days. As of yesterday she was still sitting on them. Should I make her move and toss the eggs or wait till she is off?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Move and toss, and be careful those eggs are probably rotten, handle with care

 

[polenslager]

Moved and tossed. One egg was cracked and probably where the smell was coming from. Did not check the rest. Cleaned out the nest box and put new straw in. She was back in the box when I checked tonight. Maybe tomorrow she will join the group

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

She will remain broody even without eggs, my bantam hens spend half the year broody, sometimes I try to break them, but mostly I let them go, eventually they stop, could be a couple of months, but they are handy for hatching all kinds of eggs.