Another broody hen question...

[IggiMom]

My Serama eggs just came. I plan to put them under my broody Black Jersey Giant tonight after she goes to sleep. It will be a little surprise for her.

Ok, as the eggs are resting on the kitchen table, should I unwrap them completely? They are all wrapped in bubble wrap.

When a broody is hatching them, should I candle them routinely? I would think it might disturb her.

Won't they look cute following their Big Mama around?

(That last question was rhetoric.)

 

[SeramaLife]

Hi! I would not unwrap them, but wait for someone else to reply before you decide. I don't like shipping eggs. Personally I don't candle broody hens eggs. And yes, they will look ADORABLE!!!

 

[SeramaLife]

You are going to put them under a Jersey Giant!!!!?? I don't think that is such a great idea. They could squash the eggs. Most hen mothers, unless they are perfect, step on their chicks quite often, about twice a day if they are eggcited. We have Jerseys, and when the seramas hatch out, in comparison, the chicks are as small or smaller as the hens heads.

 

[DouglasPeeps]

I unwrapped my eggs when I got them and then let them come to room temperature in an egg carton on the counter.
I currently have 12 Welsummer eggs under my Buff Orpington hen. I candled my shipped eggs when they arrived. I have decided against recandling them. I wanted to handle them as little as possible. I don't know if it will make a difference or not. Tomorrow is day 10 for my eggs!
Good luck!

 

[IggiMom]

Ack, I already put them under her before I read the above about not putting them under a Jersey Giant. I guess it makes sense.

I don't know though, I have a good feeling about her.

I put one in front of her, and she carefully rolled it under with her beak. Then I put another and she did it again. Then I put another and she made a very spirited effort to peck my hands off, and i have very thin skin due to a health problem, and I put the rest under from the nonbusiness end.

She was VERY happy. All the time i went about my routine chicken coop chores she alternately sang and crooned and talked to them....
"Uuck uckkkkk uck uck OH my little Eggies go to sleep no one will bother you again, go to sleep UUckkkkk uckk uck ooooooo grrrr just let them TRY it, Uck uck little Eggies...go to sleep".

It was very peaceful and sweet and rather a shock when I went outside and all the Guineas were telling each other goodnight in their raucous voices that sound much like the rattatattat of a machine gun.

So I have a good feeling, but if I go in tomorrow and find a bunch of egg shells I shall retract my words. And be crushed, much like an egg.

 

[12 Acres]

Awww, she sounds like a real good mommy! I'm right there with ya. I put 6 mutt eggs under my broody Buff Orp today and she was so happy. My son put them next to her one at a time and she tucked them underneath, clucking away so happily the whole time. Her hatch day is June 6 so let's both hope for good hatches and happy mama hens!

 

[IggiMom]

Oh yes, and I had better write that down, too!

Catherine

 

[Lollipop]

Yup, sounds like my experience with quail eggs under a game hen. Five eggs, three hatched, two chicks got crushed when the hen stepped on them. Don`t let her hatch them. If they hatch before you take them from her, she will crush them. She won`t mean too, but the size difference is way much........Pop

 

[NashChic]

Ok, this might be a totally dumb question, but I'm a newbie and until a few weeks ago I thought all chickens looked like Foghorn Leghorn. Well, not really, but I was pretty clueless. (Now I'm slightly less clueless after reading all the great stuff you guys write.)

If you let a broody hen sit on/hatch fertile eggs, do you have to put them in a brooder after they hatch, or does she raise them?

I ask because I've thought if one of my hens (that I don't yet have) goes broody, I'd put a few fertile eggs under her and see what happens.

Just curious...

 

[SeramaLife]

Normally you let her raise them