How many standard eggs can a bantam incubate?

[Robin'sBrood]

One of my d'Uccles is broody, again. I've always broken her broodiness in the past but have decided to let her hatch some out this time. This morning I marked and set 1 bantam and 7 standard eggs under her. Think she can handle all of those? More? Less? Thanks!

 

[The Chicken People]

I would say no more for sure!

 

[Southernbelle]

I usually give my Silkies no more than 6 standard eggs (less in the winter), but if she can cover them all, then go for it.

 

[Akane]

Depends on the quality of their nest and the broody. I had a tiny little japanese bantam on 14 xlarge standard eggs. She dug out a nice deep nest in the corner, fluffed up as best she could, and somehow every egg incubated perfectly. She was killed the last week she was sitting but I hatched every egg out in an incubator.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

When I went out to check on her yesterday evening she was sitting on 10 eggs. I went ahead and marked the two new ones but that is going to be all she gets to keep. She did have them completely covered (and it is 90* here today, already

) so maybe she'll be able to pull it off.

 

[Ariel301]

Mine, a bantam EE, can hold six. I put 8 under her, but two kept getting left out, so I took them to the incubator. That's six turkey eggs, which are just a little bigger than my Plymouth Rock's eggs, so she could probably sit seven or eight of those.

 

[babsbag]

My bantie is sitting on 11 bantie eggs and 1 standard egg. She can barely cover them all. Her flock mates kept giving her new ones. I am new to this, next time she won't get as many. Poor babie. I would rather have fewer eggs and hatch all then what we have right now. Hatch day is today or tomorrow

 

[Robin'sBrood]

Well, this evening she had 12 in the nest so I took the two unmarked ones away. I guess having the extra eggs is proof that she is getting off the nest and eating/drinking during the day...

 

[Ariel301]

Robin'sBrood :

Well, this evening she had 12 in the nest so I took the two unmarked ones away. I guess having the extra eggs is proof that she is getting off the nest and eating/drinking during the day...

Or they are laying them on top of her and she's just tucking them in with the rest.​

 

[Robin'sBrood]

I don't know, when I was out there yesterday another hen was scoping out the nest boxes and Daisy was making some awfully threatening noises at her. And she packs quite a peck when I take her off the nest to check the eggs. She might be little but she's feisty!

There are 4 nest boxes available for the 12 hens... I collected eggs out of 3 of them today.