First off, I have absolutely no experience with hatching either with a hen or incubator.
I found some bantam eggs on a shelf in one of our outbuildings a while ago and removed the eggs and put a box with hay in it on the shelf where I picked up the eggs but must have missed one or two days. I don't remember exactly when I first noticed one of the little black Japanese bantams on the nest but think I thought she was laying and did not disturb her. After a few days I figured she was broody and felt some eggs under her. I put some eggs I had gathered that day in the nest not remembering just how many and put some food and water in that building. I never saw her off the nest again and some days later after we finished the coop and had most of the birds in it I just moved her box and all. One time I went in the coop that she wasn't on the nest but only once caught her off the nest. We have had bitter cold temps and below zero windchill, but at night my little Cochin bantam would go in and sleep with her. Last night the Cochin didn't join her in the nest so this morning I brought her in the house she is in a smallish box inside a rubbermaid tub with a hole cut in the end and shavings in it. I put food and water in front of the tub this morning and don't think she came out at all.
Now I am wondering if she has ever eaten or drank water since she started this and by my figuring it is very close to 3 weeks. A few minutes ago I read a post that said she picked the broody hen up and put it by the water and food, so I did that and she just lay there .... I counted the eggs: 3 standard and 7 bantam, which is probably too many and they aren't all due to hatch the same day. I picked up a couple to see if I could candle with a flashlight and couldn't so I put them back and the hen (really a 30 wk old pullet)
I had been thinking "just let nature take its course", but not I am feeling anxious about the little girl and maybe the eggs too.
Should I just leave her alone or is there something I should do? What is "lockdown" does that mean don't touch the eggs when it is close to hatching time? BTW the nest is perfectly clean ... no doo doo.
I found some bantam eggs on a shelf in one of our outbuildings a while ago and removed the eggs and put a box with hay in it on the shelf where I picked up the eggs but must have missed one or two days. I don't remember exactly when I first noticed one of the little black Japanese bantams on the nest but think I thought she was laying and did not disturb her. After a few days I figured she was broody and felt some eggs under her. I put some eggs I had gathered that day in the nest not remembering just how many and put some food and water in that building. I never saw her off the nest again and some days later after we finished the coop and had most of the birds in it I just moved her box and all. One time I went in the coop that she wasn't on the nest but only once caught her off the nest. We have had bitter cold temps and below zero windchill, but at night my little Cochin bantam would go in and sleep with her. Last night the Cochin didn't join her in the nest so this morning I brought her in the house she is in a smallish box inside a rubbermaid tub with a hole cut in the end and shavings in it. I put food and water in front of the tub this morning and don't think she came out at all.
Now I am wondering if she has ever eaten or drank water since she started this and by my figuring it is very close to 3 weeks. A few minutes ago I read a post that said she picked the broody hen up and put it by the water and food, so I did that and she just lay there .... I counted the eggs: 3 standard and 7 bantam, which is probably too many and they aren't all due to hatch the same day. I picked up a couple to see if I could candle with a flashlight and couldn't so I put them back and the hen (really a 30 wk old pullet)
I had been thinking "just let nature take its course", but not I am feeling anxious about the little girl and maybe the eggs too.
Should I just leave her alone or is there something I should do? What is "lockdown" does that mean don't touch the eggs when it is close to hatching time? BTW the nest is perfectly clean ... no doo doo.