Hatching - when to let a hen sit/lay?

[weloveourchicks]

ok, this may be a silly question but I want to let one of my bantams hatch an egg - she loves to lay and I feel so bad each morning pushing her off the eggs and taking them from her

I imagine December/January isn't the best time to go ahead and let her sit on them to hatch.....when would be a good time? Spring? I know most of you use incubators but has anyone just let the chickens do whats natural? How long does it take for it to hatch natually?

Thanks!

Susan

 

[UrbanMama]

Hi Susan!

It will take a broody the same 21 days to hatch that it will for an incubator. In both situations, you may have those that hatch early (day 19-20) or late (up to day 24-25 sometimes) It's really up to you when you want to set the eggs. If she has a nice warm place to be with her chicks, she'd be fine even now. But you need to be prepared to step in if there are problems (have a brooder set up ready and waiting just in case she decides she doesn't want to be a Mommy after all!

)

Check out the Incubating and Hatching Eggs section. There are many of us that hatch all year round (broody or bator) and you can pick up some good info in that section

 

[weloveourchicks]

Thanks so much; even though we had chickens growing up this is all new to me as we only raised them for food - not pets. The chickens we have now are pets and we just enjoy them so much. We have one bantom that just loves to sit so I know she'll make a great mommy!