Will Bettie's 1st egg hatch?

[IonaFarm]

Bettie my sweet black bantam cochin laid her 1st egg today(and I missed it)!!

Her husband Barnie, has been with her for a while.

Can I leave her 1st egg with her, she's approx 16wks. Is she old enough to have the instinct to hatch it?

Or is she too young to be a mommy?

I'm new at chicken hatching.

Any info would be appreciated.

 

[pgpoultry]

It is pretty unlikely that she will want to brood so early, but one of my Brahmas did do, and has continued to want to do so ever since. Her egg will probably be fertile with a rooster present, but hens who are broody will try to incubate anything, fertile, infertile, or objects other than eggs, so this will not influence her.

Think of your hen as a schoolgirl mum, generally better to wait a while until they are fully mature when most hens make very good mums.

Anyway, congratulations on your first egg,

Sandie