Hatching issues

[paws]

Hi all. Currently have broody bantams sat on eggs. Have had several hatch and the first 3 were fine with the flock. However, I since have had 13 chicks hatch and im guessing having a rogue chicken remove from under mother hen and take from nesting box. Obviously gotten cold and died. Since this I have been waiting for eggs to be a fair way into pipping and then bringing in under heater to complete. So far have had a further 9 chicks survive by doing this. Is there any way I can prevent another hen killing chicks oter then finding and removing said bird. Although havent a clue which hen is doing deed. Oh yesterday we had our first ever naked neck chick hatch. Does anyone know how soon chicks can be sexed too? There mixed bantam breeds and some silkie chicks.

 

[Mrs. K]

A lot of people separate the broody hen from the flock to prevent this very thing. I am curious how many eggs did you set under one bantam hen? Generally, if you do it right away, a broody hen will accept any chick stuck under her at night. However, chicks need to be same age and same size.

Once the chicks are all hatched, so that the hen can leave the nest, then generally the highly hormonal hen is enough to defend herself and chicks from the flock, within a limit. Usually a full size hen will hatch 8-12, although, a big hen can do a few more. I would expect a bantam to do less eggs, say 3-6 eggs. I have found that less is more, kind of thing. When I set 8, I get better hatch rates, than when I set too many eggs.

Good luck.
Mrs K

 

[paws]

A lot of people separate the broody hen from the flock to prevent this very thing. I am curious how many eggs did you set under one bantam hen? Generally, if you do it right away, a broody hen will accept any chick stuck under her at night. However, chicks need to be same age and

Once the chicks are all hatched, so that the hen can leave the nest, then generally the highly hormonal hen is enough to defend herself and chicks from the flock, within a limit. Usually a full size hen will hatch 8-12, although, a big hen can do a few more. I would expect a bantam to do less eggs, say 3-6 eggs. I have found that less is more, kind of thing. When I set 8, I get better hatch rates, than when I set too many eggs.

Good luck.
Mrs K

A lot of people separate the broody hen from the flock to prevent this very thing. I am curious how many eggs did you set under one bantam hen? Generally, if you do it right away, a broody hen will accept any chick stuck under her at night. However, chicks need to be same age and same size.

Once the chicks are all hatched, so that the hen can leave the nest, then generally the highly hormonal hen is enough to defend herself and chicks from the flock, within a limit. Usually a full size hen will hatch 8-12, although, a big hen can do a few more. I would expect a bantam to do less eggs, say 3-6 eggs. I have found that less is more, kind of thing. When I set 8, I get better hatch rates, than when I set too many eggs.

Good luck.
Mrs K

A lot of people separate the broody hen from the flock to prevent this very thing. I am curious how many eggs did you set under one bantam hen? Generally, if you do it right away, a broody hen will accept any chick stuck under her at night. However, chicks need to be same age and same size.

Once the chicks are all hatched, so that the hen can leave the nest, then generally the highly hormonal hen is enough to defend herself and chicks from the flock, within a limit. Usually a full size hen will hatch 8-12, although, a big hen can do a few more. I would expect a bantam to do less eggs, say 3-6 eggs. I have found that less is more, kind of thing. When I set 8, I get better hatch rates, than when I set too many eggs.

Good luck.
Mrs K

Ssa

A lot of people separate the broody hen from the flock to prevent this very thing. I am curious how many eggs did you set under one bantam hen? Generally, if you do it right away, a broody hen will accept any chick stuck under her at night. However, chicks need to be same age and same size.

Once the chicks are all hatched, so that the hen can leave the nest, then generally the highly hormonal hen is enough to defend herself and chicks from the flock, within a limit. Usually a full size hen will hatch 8-12, although, a big hen can do a few more. I would expect a bantam to do less eggs, say 3-6 eggs. I have found that less is more, kind of thing. When I set 8, I get better hatch rates, than when I set too many eggs.

Good luck.
Mrs K

Hi there Mrs K,
Thank you for reply.
I hadnt thought originally at bringing on the eggs to breeding. Normally all eggs are collected daily. Sadly I lost my father unexpectedly and had so much going on with that matter. I had a neighbour looking after them. She hadnt collected eggs, so on candling them and seeing them underway , we decided to allow them to continue to sit as 8 hens at this point were now brooding. We still have a further 16 with chick development but are bringing in at late pipping stages as cant determine rogue hen. I now have 4 hens sitting on these 16.