Incubating peafowl

[FeatheredFreind]

Please I NEED OPINIONS!!!!!
I have only 2 eggs out of 9 shipped pea eggs. They are due to hatch next week. I have 5 broody hens, 3 I know are die hard sitters. I have my pea eggs in a Little Giant incubator with a fan (it is all that I have). Should I leave them in the incubator or should I give them to a hen??? I have two of the hens in their own pen big enough for them to get up eat, drink, bathroom break and back on their only nest. I really hope these two peachicks make it.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?????

The hens that I have sitting are a Buff Brahma, 2 Speckled Sussex, and 2 Silkies.

 

[Heidisgran]

the only thing that worries me is if the peachicks hatch that much before the eggs she's sitting on she might leave the eggs after the peachicks hatch...to bad they aren't closer she'd be a great mom for all of them

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Your type of incubator scares me,,they are known for heat spikes,,some have great luck with them tho

 

[FeatheredFreind]

the only thing that worries me is if the peachicks hatch that much before the eggs she's sitting on she might leave the eggs after the peachicks hatch...to bad they aren't closer she'd be a great mom for all of them

I will take the peachicks as soon as they hatch to keep them off the ground so that makes me believe she will stay with her nest. My broody pens are 4.5 ft x 4.5 ft . They are in the coop with the flock but penned off to protect the nest, hen, and chicks. They can easily sit eggs and care for first/early hatchers. Biggest danger is the broody poos! LOL

 

[FeatheredFreind]

the only thing that worries me is if the peachicks hatch that much before the eggs she's sitting on she might leave the eggs after the peachicks hatch...to bad they aren't closer she'd be a great mom for all of them

I will take the peachicks as soon as they hatch to keep them off the ground so that makes me believe she will stay with her nest. My broody pens are 4.5 ft x 4.5 ft . They are in the coop with the flock but penned off to protect the nest, hen, and chicks. They can easily sit eggs and care for first/early hatchers. Biggest danger is the broody poos! LOL

Most will continue to sit until I remove the last of the eggs.

 

[FeatheredFreind]

Your type of incubator scares me,,they are known for heat spikes,,some have great luck with them tho

So what do you think? Leave them in the incubator or put them under a broody?

 

[Heidisgran]

my girl quit waiting for the eggs to hatch after the 1st were 3 days old! BUT I would use a broody hen over an incubator for sure! I have 2 pea eggs suppose to hatch this weekend! I feel your stress!! 2 out of 6 is all that are left

 

[FeatheredFreind]

my girl quit waiting for the eggs to hatch after the 1st were 3 days old! BUT I would use a broody hen over an incubator for sure! I have 2 pea eggs suppose to hatch this weekend! I feel your stress!! 2 out of 6 is all that are left

I am hoping because my hens are in a pen where the chicks are going to set under her and she can only use the bathroom and eat then sit keeps her interested to see her threw her hatch. I let her take the chicks out when she seems ready. I move the sitting crate to the floor of the coop and usually by that time she has already put the fear of broody in the rest of the flock because I let her out a few times before the chicks. It had worked great so far.

 

[FeatheredFreind]

my girl quit waiting for the eggs to hatch after the 1st were 3 days old! BUT I would use a broody hen over an incubator for sure! I have 2 pea eggs suppose to hatch this weekend! I feel your stress!! 2 out of 6 is all that are left

f she does quit I have the incubator to back up the chicken eggs

 

[frenchblackcopper]

FeatheredFreind,,that decision is up to you.If you've had your bator a long time and never had any probles with it maintaining correct temps,why temp fate with a broody? In my opinion which isn't worth 2cents,,the best broody I have ever witnessed year after year was the old White Rock breed.My grandmother had 200 laying leghorns for decades and each year she would go to our neighbors and borrow 4-5 broody White Rock hens. They were then brought home,straw was placed inside a clothes basket,30 eggs was put in the nest,then the hen with a piece of plywood and a brick on top.21 days later 30 chicks was hatching just like clockwork and once the hens and chicks was removed from the clothes basket,noone better get within 25 feet of those chicks.I wonder if that breed of chicken is still available and not from hatcheries? Sorry to get off topic,but if your bator has proven reliable,stick with it.