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broody hen

post #1 of 10
4/3/12 at 2:14am
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i have a broody hen. just got fert eggs from a farm is 9 too many for her to sit on? and do i have rotate then or will she do it?

Thanks

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post #2 of 10
4/3/12 at 4:01am

nope my hen is sitting on 14 she was on 15 until a roo broke one so we had to move so she is sitting on 14 eggs, so you will be fine

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post #3 of 10
4/3/12 at 4:19am
Hens and eggs come n different sizes, bantam to full sized. A bantam might have trouble setting on 4 full sized eggs, while a full sized hen can cover a whole lot more.

If the eggs are about the size the hen would normally lay, she should easily cover a dozen. I can go Chickenobseesed a little better. I saw one full sized hen cover and get a good hatch on 18 of her own eggs. That was a hidden nest. If your broody is full sized and the eggs match her, 9 should be no problem at all.

You do not have to turn them. That's the hen's job.
Freedom is not the right to do what we want, but what we ought....Abraham Lincoln (Freedom carries responsibility)

The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right.....Judge Learned Hand  (The more sure your are that your way is the only right way, the more likely you are wrong.)
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Freedom is not the right to do what we want, but what we ought....Abraham Lincoln (Freedom carries responsibility)

The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right.....Judge Learned Hand  (The more sure your are that your way is the only right way, the more likely you are wrong.)
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post #4 of 10
4/3/12 at 6:24am

I had a broody hen that I left in the chicken coupe. When I finally went to move her she was sitting on 36 eggs. Now there is no way she could have hatched that many, but most of the fit under her. Could only see a few on the sides.

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post #5 of 10
4/3/12 at 12:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by helomech View Post

I had a broody hen that I left in the chicken coupe. When I finally went to move her she was sitting on 36 eggs. Now there is no way she could have hatched that many, but most of the fit under her. Could only see a few on the sides.



oh my goodness that is a lot of eggs

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post #6 of 10
4/3/12 at 3:36pm

I've heard that if you have too many for the hen to adequately keep warm at once, then they can all be compromised because each egg will get rotated out at some point during the hatch. After looking around for a few different figures, I played it safe and went with 12 eggs for one hen as a rule of thumb (regular size brown eggs, regular size large hen). I had 11 hatch both times. I suppose it pays not to get too greedy... wink.png

 

As for turning and such, you don't have to do a thing. It's hands-off once they start incubating--another reason I love doing it this way. No worrying about temp or humidity or turning or not turning--the hen does it all, and much better than I ever could with even the best incubator set up. Ah, nature's perfection...


Edited by sky the chicken man - 4/3/12 at 3:39pm
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post #7 of 10
4/3/12 at 9:16pm
Thread Starter 

i want all mine broody i think there is nothing cuter than a miss sitting on her joys

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post #8 of 10
4/3/12 at 9:17pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gagas chickens View Post

i want all mine broody i think there is nothing cuter than a miss sitting on her joys



 



Quote:
Originally Posted by chickenobsessed View Post



oh my goodness that is a lot of eggs



Jealous Grr

 
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post #9 of 10
4/4/12 at 1:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gagas chickens View Post



 



Jealous Grr

im not jealous but thats a lot of eggs
 

 

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post #10 of 10
4/4/12 at 2:43pm
Thread Starter 

Im sure the other house hold members would be impressed. it Started with 2 hens.

Now ducks and hens and rooster. 

 

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