1st eggs from my bantams

[JbarD Acres]

My bantam hen has laid 2 eggs in 2 days but isnt consistently sitting on them. Is this an issue I need to be concerned about? Its around 85-90 outside and they have ample air, not sweltering. She is out in the morning and I don't see her in there again till time to coop up in the evening.

 

[JadeFarms]

My bantam hen has laid 2 eggs in 2 days but isnt consistently sitting on them. Is this an issue I need to be concerned about? Its around 85-90 outside and they have ample air, not sweltering. She is out in the morning and I don't see her in there again till time to coop up in the evening.

Chickens don’t always go broody. Especially at that time.

 

[JbarD Acres]

Ok, I was just wondering if we needed to remove them or give her and them a chance. Sorry, first timer here.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Gather eggs daily.

IF she goes broody and you have a rooster AND you want to hatch chicks THEN you can see if she will sit them the full time.

A broody hen will sit in the near day and night getting up once or twice a day to defecate, eat, drink and dust bathe.

A video that may help.....

 

[JbarD Acres]

So how do i get her to Be broody? I now have 4 eggs and she leaves in the morning and poof theres another egg after 330-4pm. But she is never sitting on them. Gettin antsy wanting an incubator.

 

[JbarD Acres]

Gather eggs daily.

IF she goes broody and you have a rooster AND you want to hatch chicks THEN you can see if she will sit them the full time.

A broody hen will sit in the near day and night getting up once or twice a day to defecate, eat, drink and dust bathe.

A video that may help.....

She doesnt even remotely act like that, she runs with the 'pack' all over the yard til its time to coop up then they all go in and roost.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I don't think you can get a hen to be broody. It has to do with her hormones and she either is or she isn't. If you go to gather eggs one day and she growls, won't move, fluffs her feathers up to about twice her size and pecks your hand or arm hard enough to hurt - that's a clue that she might be getting broody.

 

[21hens-incharge]

She doesnt even remotely act like that, she runs with the 'pack' all over the yard til its time to coop up then they all go in and roost.

Going broody cannot be forced. It is all in the hormones. Many many breeds have had that tendency bred out of the breed.
Even in a breed that is said to go broody often I have only in 20+ years had 2 that were consistent.

If you do decide to hatch chicks do you have a plan for the males?
Keeping multiple males nearly always leads to bloody horrible fighting between them and injury to hens from overmating.

 

[JbarD Acres]

Well, we have 2 roosters and 2 hens, the 'squad' as the grandson calls it, free range all over until evening then they all coop up. Since watching them last night I dont have a clue on which hen is actually laying the eggs, since I watched both roosters mate with both hens. But still only one hen will sit on the eggs and only for a little while after theyve been let out and their morning walkabout. They get chummy when cooling too, but change their snuggle buddy off and on all day. Ive come to the conclusion we will just wait the 21 days and see what happens. Also came to the conclusion we have the weirdest birds ever. Our 2 turkeys and 4 guineas get chased by our lil banty Golden Seabright rooster! In the turkey/guinea 'squad' , the turkeys keep the guineas submissive. Its the weirdest show but quite entertaining.

 

[ValerieJ]

I think you need to collect the eggs. Your hen is not broody and will not hatch them. If she ever starts acting the way brooding has been described here, that's when you leave the eggs in the nest. You are just allowing edible eggs to go bad at this point. Also, eggs left in the nest could get broken by one of the hens and then if they acquire a taste for them, and they will, you'll have a whole new problem on your hands. I'm pretty surprised 2 roosters and 2 hens is working out for you. Usually the roosters fight and the hens get over-mated and lose all their back feathers. Good luck! Hope one of your hens gets broody this year. How old is your bantam? Are these her first eggs?