Help/Advise needed

[bantamcarey]

Hello really need some advise i really really want some chicks from my chickens i have 5 pekin bantams 3 hens 2 cocks all in a big run together im not sure should i seperate a pair on their own or a trio ?? or how to encourage the hens to become broody iv seen the cocks doing the bussiness plenty of times but hens wont sit on eggs please give me some advise thanks.

 

[bantamcarey]

Anybody? any information would be greatfull as im new to this stuff thanks

 

[Pyxis]

Unfortunately you can't make a hen go broody. It'a a hormonal thing and is usually triggered by longer daylight hours, so spring and summer is usually when a hen will brood. You can try leaving eggs in the nest as sometimes having a clutch built up will encourage them but there's no way to make it happen. Splitting them up into pairs isn't necessary. If you really want to be sure you'll get chicks the only real way to guarantee it is to buy an incubator and do the hatching yourself.

 

[bantamcarey]

thanks for the reply and if i leave the eggs build up will they still hatch ok? the 3 hens all lay in the same spot do even do their are 4 nest boxs? they all use the same 1 would this matter

 

[Pyxis]

I'd mark the eggs with the dates they were laid until you have the number you want a hen to hatch, then just take the oldest ones out each day as new fresh ones are laid. They will all hatch at the same time since the mother will start sitting on them at the same time if you do get one to go broody.

 

[bantamcarey]

how long can an egg sit their for before a hen decides to become broody? like if it was their to long would it still hatch ? sorrry these might be silly questions but i dont no thanks.

 

[Pyxis]

how long can an egg sit their for before a hen decides to become broody? like if it was their to long would it still hatch ? sorrry these might be silly questions but i dont no thanks.

Usually the fertility holds for up to ten days, and after that the chance of it hatching starts to decrease. No worries with the questions, we were all new once

 

[bantamcarey]

After going down to the chickens this morning I thought I was missing 1 so after searching I found her in the corner under the perch sitting so I'm pretty sure she is broody so I lifted her into a cage and put her some were quiter and she had 2 eggs under her so put them under her with fresh water and some pellets will she keep laying while broody? So I could have more than 2 chicks thanks I'm over the moon and hope I keep her happy

 

[Broody Queen]

That's great news!

No, hens stop laying eggs once they're broody. However if you have other fresh eggs on hand (not store bought or refrigerated) you can put them under her.
P.S. it is quite rare for all eggs to hatch

 

[MysteriaSdrassa]

That's great news!

No, hens stop laying eggs once they're broody. However if you have other fresh eggs on hand (not store bought or refrigerated) you can put them under her.
P.S. it is quite rare for all eggs to hatch

Agreed,, if you saved any of her eggs recently,, take the freshest ones up to 10 days old and stick them under her. Also don't give her more than a dozen to sit on,, that seems to be about as many as will fit under a hen. Any more will just get chilled around the edges as she just can't fit over them all. A good rule of thumb with broody hens is,, less is more. Good luck