Incubator or Broody Hen -- which should I use???

[Keri78]

I usually "isolate" the Mama and the babies together after their all hatched out. I usually give it at least 48 hrs. from the time that the first chick hatches. In my experience....babies tend to stay right under Mama for the first few days anyway....so they aren't going to be venturing out from under her anytime soon. And come on...honestly....that Mama hen is NOT going to tolerate any other chickens even coming close to those babies!

 

[SeaHen]

What is the maximum number of eggs one hen can sit? Do you take the broody out or keep her in the main coop with the other chickens? My main question is how many can she sit at one time?


Hehehe! We found my missing banty setting on 18 small-to-medium-sized chicken eggs this spring, and she hatched all of them. As for isolating the hen, I would at least make sure she has her own safe separate space within the coop if she wants to stay there. My current broody picked out a dresser drawer in the barn adjacent to the coop. I put a couple of little cat carriers on the floor of the coop and have found that even if the hens don't originally nest there they will move their babies into them soon after hatching.

 

[Kittymomma]

My BA did great with 11 duck eggs, she was a pretty big hen though. Put what you want to under her and check back in an hour, if any are still peeking out you'll need to take a couple away. I like to section off a space for my broody girls in the coop. I've never had a problem with the other chooks killing chicks, but I have had broody hens get confused and settle back down on the wrong nest after their daily trip for food/water/poo/ dust bath so now I give them a corner all their own.

 

[oeg guy17]

if your hen is willing to set deffinately go with that because you never know when the electric will go out or something will break in the incubator. the only way the hens heat will stop is if she dies