Are pekins good mothers?

[ChickenKeep01]

My pekin bantam is on 10 eggs which are due to hatch on tuesday and 3 times now i have seen her off the nest having a dirt bath. This has just got me wondering if its safe to leave the chicks with her and if she'll protect them or if she'll just abandon them and i need to take the chicks off her

thanks in advance

 

[Lady of McCamley]

First...we are talking Pekin bantam as in a chicken...also known as a bantam Cochin? (vs. a Pekin duck).

Bantam Cochins can be very good mothers.

All brooding hens get up once a day to eat, drink, poo and usually have a dust bath.

You are not at lock down yet, which would be tomorrow or even Monday.

If she is spending maybe 15 to 20 minutes to do her stuff, then going right back to the nest to settle and sit another 23 hours and some odd minutes, she is fine.

If however, she is lingering off the nest for an hour or two, she may not be very invested in things, and you could have a poor hatch as eggs will be getting cold, especially if your weather is cool.

However, I note you are in Australia. If your temps are pretty warm, many brooding hens do leave the eggs a tad bit longer since the ambient temp is warmer. I've seen them linger for 45 minutes or so with no detriment to the eggs.

I'd give her a chance. My bantam Cochins have been very good mothers. They did get up more with their first hatches, but settled in with the chicks. Subsequent hatches, they have been stellar.

You can candle to see how the eggs are developing to assess better. If things feel too cool, or you note she is really lingering away from the nest or appears to be losing interest, you can go to Plan B with a back up incubator.

LofMc

 

[ChickenKeep01]

First...we are talking Pekin bantam as in a chicken...also known as a bantam Cochin? (vs. a Pekin duck).

Bantam Cochins can be very good mothers.

All brooding hens get up once a day to eat, drink, poo and usually have a dust bath.

You are not at lock down yet, which would be tomorrow or even Monday.

If she is spending maybe 15 to 20 minutes to do her stuff, then going right back to the nest to settle and sit another 23 hours and some odd minutes, she is fine.

If however, she is lingering off the nest for an hour or two, she may not be very invested in things, and you could have a poor hatch as eggs will be getting cold, especially if your weather is cool.

However, I note you are in Australia. If your temps are pretty warm, many brooding hens do leave the eggs a tad bit longer since the ambient temp is warmer. I've seen them linger for 45 minutes or so with no detriment to the eggs.

I'd give her a chance. My bantam Cochins have been very good mothers. They did get up more with their first hatches, but settled in with the chicks. Subsequent hatches, they have been stellar.

You can candle to see how the eggs are developing to assess better. If things feel too cool, or you note she is really lingering away from the nest or appears to be losing interest, you can go to Plan B with a back up incubator.

LofMc

Thanks this helped alot

 

[LilJoe]

(If your talking about cochins)
Yes! Absolutely!

The only problem Ive ever had was when we had eggs under an Orpington and when they were hatching we but some under my cochin.
Since she didn't bind with them when they were in the egg she abandon them.

Otherwise....

 

[Lady of McCamley]

@ChickenKeep01

Just curious...10 eggs are a lot of eggs for a bantam Cochin...are they bantam size?

If they are regular size, I would candle to see which have developed and take away those that haven't.

Being careful to not set too many eggs can help momma too.

LofMc

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Not every first time hens know what to do. In general the breed tends to be good mothers, but I've had a few that attacked the chicks and were only interested in sitting on eggs, not in taking care of chicks, so watch her that first day.

 

[ChickenKeep01]

@ChickenKeep01

Just curious...10 eggs are a lot of eggs for a bantam Cochin...are they bantam size?

If they are regular size, I would candle to see which have developed and take away those that haven't.

Being careful to not set too many eggs can help momma too.

LofMc

Due to me having a very "happy" rooster all the eggs are fertile and incubating

 

[ChickenKeep01]

Turns out i had it wrong and they were hatching today and shes doing a fine job execpt she seems to forget that she has to be careful when sitting back on them