incubator vs broody debate?

[Eryn]

Ok so I am getting shipped a dozen welsummer eggs from mother goose on april 7th! YAY!!!!!

I have an incubator which I tried to use on a previous hatch but I had horrible luck.... And yesterday one of my hens decided to go broody... So now I'm totally torn between giving her the eggs if she is still broody in a week and half when the eggs get here or putting them in the incubator!

Last time I tried the incubator I had some horrible storms come through and lost power 3 times! Each of the times I lost a portion of the eggs... I also had problems getting the humidity up so I'm planning on setting up the incubator tomorrow and trying to play with it to see if I can't get the humidity up!

My hen that is broody is a banty frizzle cochin... She is a tiny little thing and I don't know that she can even keep a dozen large eggs warm... I also don't know if she will stay broody that long since it will be like 4 1/2 weeks total?

I have read so many times that it is better to give the eggs to a broody when possible, and it just seems like fate she decided to go broody now! I really could use some opinions as to what everyone thinks would be best! Thanks everyone!!

 

[kstaven]

Even if she stays broody 12 large eggs are to many for her to keep covered. So you will still need the incubator.

Personally I would put half under her and half in the incubator. Even if she abandons the nest you can always move them to the incubator.

 

[therealsilkiechick]

yep i agree. she shouldn't be able to sit on that many maybe 7 LF at most but ya never know. i've had 1 silkie sit on 21 silkie eggs at once for like 2 weeks, rotfl. i usually split them too just to be safe. she did do good kept stealing them,lol. then another 3 went broody also so i had 31 eggs with 4 hens in 2 boxes and they all shared nest duties. needless to say i had alot of babies!!

 

[Eryn]

Ok great I will give that a try! I was thinking about splitting them! Hopefully she will turn out to be a good mom!

 

[Godiva]

My bantam cochin could only just manage 7 eggs (full size ones) and she was a fantastic mom! I wish some of my hens would go broody now as my incubator is driving me scatty!

 

[priszilla]

do a test -go half and half and see