If I buy fertile eggs will my hens hatch them?

[freshegg]

I only have 8 hens no roo but was wondering if I bought eggs what is the odds one of my hens will just sit on them and hatch them? I dont have a broody but would they somehow just know they are fertile? A girl at work says she did this, did she just get lucky?

 

[IloveTravis]

We have an easter egg filled with clay in one of our nesting boxes, and our girls have been fighting for the position!
I'm guessing if my ladies are sitting for easter eggs, then yours will sit for real eggs.
Best of luck to you

 

[keljonma]

I think she got lucky.. .. the hen won't "know" the eggs are fertile. You don't need a roo for a hen to go broody. Broodiness is a hormonal change the hen goes through.

 

[freshegg]

well thats 1 and 1, I only mentioned broody because I didnt know if they are not broody will they sit, I know it happens with or without a roo. I,ll have to find some free or cheap eggs since I dont have a bator and its just a experiment.

 

[keljonma]

If they aren't broody, they won't sit on a nest almost non-stop for 21 days. A broody only gets off the nest once a day to eat, drink, dust bathe and poo. Normally a non-broody hen is out and about except for the time it takes to lay an egg. Big difference!

 

[hollybird]

i think it depends on the hen. some breeds go broody easily. i have a hen more than 10 years old and anytime she gets more that 3 eggs she won't let them go and gets parked. put in some fake eggs or roundish rocks and see if they want to set. if after a couple of days they are still sitting they will probably stay put.

 

[BantyHugger]

If yours goes broody feel free to slip her a couple fertile eggs. We sold some eggs to a friend at a work to eat. Well, she had a crippled hen that was broody all the time. She slipped her some eggs and got some chicks. I don't think your friend was just 'lucky' esp. if she knew the eggs were fertile. Mine only go broody in the spring. Get a few fake eggs and see if their interested in setting.

 

[dancingbear]

I have some broodies that just won't quit, but if yours aren't broody, odds are they won't become broody just because they see some eggs in a nest. I have had hens that would, though. I'd put in some fake eggs or golf balls and leave them for a few days, and see if anybody's interested. If not, it's a waste of eggs.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I have a white leghorn bantam that goes bananas every day when I take the eggs out of the nest, so I decided to leave one in there for her and see what she'd do. Well, she did nothing...so definitely put something in there and see if she'll set before you spend the money on eggs.

 

[birdlover]

It's been my experience that a hen has to be broody before she'll set. If you have silkies or other bantam breeds, your chances are good you'll have a broody before you know it!