First time hatching eggs

[Muser]

Hi All,

I have a big broody Orpington/Brahma and she's super keen to sit on eggs. Been trying to break her for a good week, she's currently sat in chicken jail and I just feel terrible for her so having second thoughts about maybe putting some eggs under her to hatch.

I was going to order some from online, but I am confused about part of the process. They state that after the eggs arrive, I am to let them settle for 24 hours (I have researched this and have found this is to allow the air sac to settle back to it's original position) - but I am confused... How do I keep these eggs warm? Do I even need to keep them warm at this stage or can my kitchen work surface be warm enough for that time period to pass?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Kiki]

Hi All,

I have a big broody Orpington/Brahma and she's super keen to sit on eggs. Been trying to break her for a good week, she's currently sat in chicken jail and I just feel terrible for her so having second thoughts about maybe putting some eggs under her to hatch.

I was going to order some from online, but I am confused about part of the process. They state that after the eggs arrive, I am to let them settle for 24 hours (I have researched this and have found this is to allow the air sac to settle back to it's original position) - but I am confused... How do I keep these eggs warm? Do I even need to keep them warm at this stage or can my kitchen work surface be warm enough for that time period to pass?

Thanks in advance!

No you don't keep them warm at this stage.
I don't let mailed eggs rest.

 

[Muser]

No you don't keep them warm at this stage.
I don't let mailed eggs rest.

Do you get good hatching rates? I was just assuming I would place them under my girl and let her do what she does best!

 

[MountainWoman73]

Yeah, rest= room temperature. I also don't do it.

Waiting lists for eggs can be super long, I've learned. So if you want to give her eggs this time I would try to source them locally. (Craigslist or a neighbor or friend?)

I would also say if she's already in broody jail, stick it out and break her. She likely will do it again, and you can always give her eggs next time.

 

[Kiki]

Do you get good hatching rates? I was just assuming I would place them under my girl and let her do what she does best!

Excellent results.

 

[Jmjlori]

Can I ask a question. Here? I’m new, though I’ve read this forum and FB page since before we got 6 pullets last September.
We had a hen go broody a couple months ago, and I couldn’t keep her off the nest. Then a few weeks later, a second joined. They were trying their derndest to hatch wooden eggs.
We ended up getting 6 fertilized eggs from the people we got the girls from.
We set them up under the coop this past weekend so the chicks would be safe when they hatched.

Yesterday afternoon, I was so excited to find a chick! I gave it a little scrambled egg and oatmeal to it. This morning, a second egg hatched with a little brown/striped chick. I noticed the hen was pecking at its head a lot when I was seeing if it would eat some egg. Do I just provide the food and water and let the hens “do their thing”? (The only reason we got eggs for hatching was to give the brooders something constructive to do) now I’m acting like a worried mommy all over again.

 

[SweetieChicken234]

Can I ask a question. Here? I’m new, though I’ve read this forum and FB page since before we got 6 pullets last September.
We had a hen go broody a couple months ago, and I couldn’t keep her off the nest. Then a few weeks later, a second joined. They were trying their derndest to hatch wooden eggs.
We ended up getting 6 fertilized eggs from the people we got the girls from.
We set them up under the coop this past weekend so the chicks would be safe when they hatched. View attachment 3868308

Yesterday afternoon, I was so excited to find a chick! I gave it a little scrambled egg and oatmeal to it. This morning, a second egg hatched with a little brown/striped chick. I noticed the hen was pecking at its head a lot when I was seeing if it would eat some egg. Do I just provide the food and water and let the hens “do their thing”? (The only reason we got eggs for hatching was to give the brooders something constructive to do) now I’m acting like a worried mommy all over again.

This is a good question. My hen was pecking the chicks head when it was exploring water drips on my finger. I'm thinking she was maybe annoyed and wanted that chick back under her.