Anybody Hatch eggs under Hens anymore? (pic)

[Maryallison77]

WOW! I thank everybody so much! I am feeling sooo much better about this now. I was thinking I had some weird idea from the dark ages! I will keep updating this page as time goes by.

 

[Maryallison77]

My eggs for Jackie didn't make it in the mail yet. Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best!!!!!!!

I hope they get here in good condition tomorrow!

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
Good luck with mailed eggs. I bought six, recieved eight, from a reputable breeder and put them under my silkie. Only one hatched. I opened the other seven and they were like scrambled eggs, all yellow. I think the postal workers played football with the package.

 

[Maryallison77]

Sorry to hear that Joe, seems to be a common problem though. I am gonna be thrilled if I hatch even 1 little chicky!!!!

 

[LandA Miniatures]

Glad I found this. I have my first broody ever!!!

I am so PROUD!!!

I she is about 9 months old herself and she is half red or black sexlink and half domonic. Yay!!!

Only a few eggs are hers. Some will be her sister's and some from the sexlinks and others from the domonics. I'm not sure how many she has but I think around 12 or 13 plus the three fake eggs that are always there.

These will be my new Dominic roo's first chicks!!!

 

[iajewel]

I bought some little cochin bantums just for that purpose. I love seeing the mothers with thier chicks running around the yard. I don't raise enough chickens per year to need a incubator, and eat most of the eggs. I have 10 that will sit.. thats plenty for me.

 

[Griffox]

My hen is sitting on 16 day old eggs right now. She's a first time broody and is taking her job very seriously. I'm so proud of her!

 

[shelleyd2008]

I use broody's and an incubator. If I would have left all the eggs for the hens to brood, 3 of them would have had 30 eggs each! I did have my OEG hen go broody on 15 eggs that she hid, and my dad's cochin mix hen had a hidden nest of 15 as well, 5 of which were my OEG hen's!! So My OEG, if she would have laid all her eggs in one nest, would have had well over 25 eggs herself, as I found some more of her eggs in a different nest! Only 2 of my hens lay a few eggs, my OEGB splash and my dutch splash, they both lay 7 eggs, no more, no less, then they go broody!

ETA: but I still hatch better than my hens did!

 

[LoneCowboy]

Quote:
I would remove the fake eggs. You don't want good eggs getting stuck on the edges where they may not get the warmth they need so she can use valuable area to warm fake eggs.

12 is about the normal amount of eggs for a clutch I think. They supposedly can handle more chicks than that though.

 

[ScoobyRoo]

Sorry if this sounds like a stupid question but I am a newbie. With the weather turning colder, isn't it a little late to be hatching? I wonder how they keep warm during the cold days. Does Momma keep them warm enough? Just wondered, because I'm feeling left out on not hatching eggs with the rest of you.

I don't have a broody hen anyway. But I plan on trying hatching the 'old fashion' way myself next spring.