broody hen on eggs

[craig1986]

hi new to all this but read up on everything i can, my hen has just gone broody and has a clutch of 16 eggs she is a silkie, i check her a few times a day, sometime she is sitting on them all flat out like a pancake and sometimes she is sitting like a pancake but maybe 2 or 3 eggs still showing and not covered by her properly, is this a problem

 

[AustralorpsAU]

16 eggs might be a bit too much for her. If she is not covering them all then you have more chance of them dying as they would not be kept warm. In saying that, I'm no expert at this so i hope somebody else can help you too

 

[craig1986]

Thanks for reply, also have another question, I bought an incubator, 100ml of water to be added so added it, it's sitting at 38 degrees celceous will that not evaporate the water quite quickly and should I put 100ml of water in every day, p.s instruction Manual must think I'm a scientist and able to read and understand it all

 

[AustralorpsAU]

Do you have a hygrometer to measure the humidity? You really just adjust it to the right humidity as humidity is different every time of the year.

 

[craig1986]

No don't no wat that is but the incubator has built in humidity I think and I just put it at 55%

 

[josy]

You may have a few too many eggs. My take is that a hen can only handle 12 properly. Hopefully it turns out ok but I would be temped to remove a few otherwise you may loose several as she turns them they will all get turns of being too cold.

 

[AustralorpsAU]

Ok so your incubator already has a hygrometer built in. There is really no specific amount you should put in. Just adjust it to suit conditions