Broody Hen sitting...what to do?

[CamiLynn]

I have a bantam hen that became broody about 2 weeks ago and no roos to fertilize. I tried removing eggs from under her everyday in hopes she would give up, but she hasn't, so I contacted a friend with chickens and roosters to get some possibly fertile eggs. I place 4 eggs in the nest and she instantly sat, so hoping she hatches a couple. But, I have a few questions I am hoping someone can help me out with, as this is my first experinece with this.

My bantam is in with one other laying hen, eight 3 month old hens and two - 3 month old roos. If any of the eggs hatch will the chickens be safe in with the other chickens? Should I put food an water close to her? Also, one of the 4 eggs I got had what looks like a inverted peep hole/crack. By that I mean its a small crack that goes inward the size of a beak peck but hasn't broken through the membrane of the egg, just the shell. Will that egg be ok and possibly hatch or should I just discard now?

Oh and one other question (sorry I am pretty new to the chicken world) if she hatches any chick will she let me near them or run me off? Just curious, cuz she doesn't let me touch her.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Yiannisk]

you better remove the cracked egg imo when she needs she will go for food and water if it is close to her is better she has to protect her eggs so you are a danger to her that is why she does not let you touch her and she will not let you when she has her chicks natural instict to protect her eggs and babies

 

[akashia26]

she will protect her chicks. depending on how frendly she is and how protective determines if she will let you get close to them. make sure there is always food and water in the pen (doesn't have to be close right next to the nest but within 10 to 50 ft, so when she forages she can get food and water. this makes her get up and exercise and poop outside of the nest. otherwise leave her alone. she knows what to do, and if you bug her too much she could quit the nest. as for the egg that is cracked, candle it around day 7 and 14. you should be able to tell if it is developing. if it is let it be, if not toss it.

 

[CamiLynn]

Thank you for the replies. I bought her as a grown hen and she has never been friendly towards us, but will come close when we have treats and such. I knew something was up a couple weeks ago when I opened the hen box's to get the eggs out and she wouldn't move and instead puffed up and started pecking. lol When I put the eggs in yesterday she was standing in front of the hen box and watched me put the eggs in and as soon as I walked away and came back, she was already sitting. Made her happy

We started out only wanting 4 to 6 chicken and that was in March...we are now up to 17 and totally in love! In my flock we have Buff Orpingtons, barred rock, RIR, red sex-links, black sex links, silver laced wyndottes, a self-blue d'ucle (sp), a turken, a silkie, and a white hen with one black spot on the back of her head that we don't know what kind she is...oh and the bantam hen that is broody...we don't know what she is either (she is in my pics on here). The eggs we got could be anything from sex-link, RIR or barred rocks...guess we will see. I think I have gone chciken crazy! lol
Hoping she hatches out some babies

Guess we will see is 19 days! Fingers crossed!

 

[akashia26]

it's chicken math. by my count you have 6 chickens. if they are not laying they don't count, bantams don't count cause they are only 1/2 a chicken at best. silkies don't count, cause they don't look like chickens. roos don't count cause they don't lay eggs. thats just a start. you may have even fewer chickens than you think!