Fertile eggs and broody hens

[Lyndzie]

Next spring I’d like to hatch out a batch of bantam Ameracauna eggs with my broodies. My question is: these are hard to come by, how does a person pre-order eggs when you don’t know exactly when your ladies will start brooding?

I hatched out a clutch this summer with my broodies, and it’s easy enough to get common breeds around here, but I can’t get my mind wrapped around the logistics of something less available. Also, I don’t want to ship, so I’ll need to find the eggs within driving distance.

 

[Willow2253]

Hens can stay broody for longer than the typical 21 day incubation period, so one option would be to order eggs at the first sign of broodiness and let her sit on fake or infertile eggs for a few days until they arrive. Waiting for broodies when you want to hatch specific things that have to be ordered is definitely a challenge. You could also buy an incubator and if you get a broody while they’re incubating she can have the chicks. It’s always a good thing to have on hand anyways in case she abandons the nest.