If she's a first-time broody, then you can't predict how things will go, but I'd say that she probably wouldn't crush them just because she's LF and the eggs are Banty. It's always a learning experience, but if you want to use a broody, you have to start somewhere. Good Luck!!!!
btw, my Buff...
I had a recent hatch where the mama ate several eggs. I also had a bunch of rotten eggs (marans that I couldn't candle well) and I think she HAD to eat them to keep the nest clean. She ended up with 2 chicks and she is a very, very good mama. She probably knows what she is doing.
Congrats! What's the plan for eggs? Do you have your own hatching eggs or are you getting some for her to hatch? What breed is she? Inquiring minds want to know :yesss:
Dude, your ONLY solution is to move to the country!!! You are a country person at heart...in fact, you would make an excellent breeder of Chocolate Orpingtons. I'd buy some from you! LOVED reading your post. I laughed through the whole thing!!
My BO broody is hatching eggs today. Day 20. Good and bad news. I came home this afternoon and visited the broody and both OE eggs were close to being born when I looked under mama. So I waited another hour and then went out again and one was fully out, which is the good news. Then I notice the...
I put 10 fertile eggs under my broody exactly 3 weeks ago... now there are 12 under her, one was obviously my dark brown speckle egger so I removed it, the others are indistinguishable from one another :/ none smell bad though. Once a day I see my broody get off the nest to have a big ol...
If you have a mixed age flock, don't give any layer feed until the young ones are closer to 18 wks. The side of oyster shell should be enough for the laying hens. Calcium for chicks can be damaging to them. It is ok for everyone to eat the starter, just extra protein. Live and learn in the...
Broody question. My silkie went broody a couple days ago and I'd been saving her eggs and had 4. She was laying steady, then went broody the next day and didn't lay an egg, so I put the 4 eggs under her yesterday because I didn't want the 4 eggs to get any older. She has not moved off the nest...
Are all your hens only 8 mos old? They might get broody later in life. My first broody last year was 18 mos old. My only broody...so far...this year is 2.5 years old. I did the same thing as you. I got my first pair of silkies in hopes that she would go broody after I got her (she's 8 mos old)...