Hatching Eggs Under A Broody Hen

[eggboy]

I want to hatch some standard size Ameracauna eggs under one of my Japanese/sultan bantam hens in the spring I think I will get the eggs from a place called www.ajshappychickfarm.com but I don't know how long it will take for the eggs to get shipped. Should I wait untill my hen goes broody and then order the eggs? also I don't know how many eggs I could put under her. Does any one know?

 

[bigdawg]

my silkies can cover 5 full size eggs pretty well. 6 may be pushing it. depends on the size of the hen.

 

[Barred Rocker]

I think I'd wait til your hen goes broody before ordering the eggs. If you order them now and she doesn't start setting within the next 10 days or so you may as well scramble the eggs. She'll stay on the nest an extra week or so if it takes that long to get the eggs.

 

[eggboy]

Bigdawg are you talking about bantam silkies or standard, I'm assuming bantam.

 

[suebee]

All Silkies are bantam. If you're hatching under a bantam hen, 6-8 eggs would be fine. Also, don't order until your hen is broody or you're wasting your money unless you have an incubator.

 

[Tanichca]

I got silkies! and they do try and brood about 13 eggs at a time... each! they can cover about half of them or so. But since its cold out, and they leave the eggs alone for a few hours a day to eat/dust bathe/ spend quality time with the roo, they probably won't amount to much.

 

[RockyPhoenix]

Quote:
jus wanted to let you know that silkies are bantams and there are no standards...they are what is called a true bantam (they have no standard counterpart)

 

[M To The Maxx]

Quote:
Quote:
jus wanted to let you know that silkies are bantams and there are no standards...they are what is called a true bantam (they have no standard counterpart)

There are STANDARD Silkies. They are jsut not in the U.S. People in the U.K. have them.

 

[silkydragon]

lol i did alot of research before buying my silkys and it saide that there are standards in Europe and only like 1 or 2 breeders in usa cuz i would have preferred standards where i live cuz i free range my birds and think bigger standards=more intimidating to the small predators we have ok srry just wanted to put my 2cents into the argument

as for the topic i would waite for the hen to go broody cuz the hen gos broody on her schedule not youres and i would see if any1 would be willing to ship you some mutt eggs or something cheap so you can get timing right

 

[suebee]

You are right about standard Silkies in foreign countries. Just not in USA.
I free range all my Silkies, never had a hawk get an adult. (knock on wood)