First Time Hatching Attempt - Suggestions?

[Picky Chicky]

My Japanese banty girl keeps going broody and the poor thing is determined to hatch some eggs (I don't have a roo so her attempts went from funny.. to just plain sad).

Our daughter's sitter told us that her grand-daughter has a bunch of fertile banty eggs but none of them are broody. So the idea factory got started and now I think I am going to let my banty girl foster sit on some other banty's eggs.

Ok... tell me the things I should know in case this actually works.

I don't currently have a quarentine/brooder area for my girl - so she's going to have to try this with all the hoopla from my other girls. I'm begging DH to work on that second coop but can't seem to get him motivated. I'll continue to work on that.

From the moment my girl sits on these eggs - when should I start looking for fuzzy butts or spoiled eggs?

For those of you wondering... my plan was to let her play banty momma to the chicks for a day or two and then send them home to the grand-daughter to figure out.

So tell me everything that's wrong with my plan. Hehe Be gentle please.

[Edited bad title. Bad Lacy.]

 

[Picky Chicky]

Wow... don't everyone talk at once!

 

[MichiganWoods]

Well, your thread title was a bit confusing to me. Perhaps it is to others as well.

Hatching time is usually 21 days for chicken eggs... but bantams can go a little early from what I've read. As far as her fostering someone else's eggs, I don't see why it wouldn't work! I don't know what you'd need to do in regards to keeping her away from the others or not. Hopefully someone who has done this will be able to offer you some advice.

Good luck!

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
I've never hatched under a hen- mine are not cooperative that way.

You can use a dog crate to separate her nest, and fence off a portion of the run. If she sets, just smell and/or candle a few times. They should hatch around day 21, but bantams have a habit of being earlier. I wouldn't take the chicks away from her though- then what happens to the chicks?

 

[Picky Chicky]

Quote:
Thanks so much for the helpful info! I was wondering about the after part... if we can successfully hatch chicks (I say "we" as if I'm doing any of the work hehe).

What does one do when her hen is foster hatching another hen's eggs? The grand-daughter who is giving me the eggs would like to have the chicks back (I'm certain she'd let me keep a favorite or two)... she wants to raise them.

Quite honestly I don't care about giving her the chicks once they hatch, but I want to make sure I do so in a safe and loving (for chicks and momma) way.

Geez, I make this sound all sterile and cold hearted when in fact I would absolutely love to keep every single one of them and hug them and squeeze them and name them all George.