It figures... what would you do Broody or incubator*UPDATE 1/28*

[aussieheelr]

Well we'll see if I'm right...
I finished my incubator last week and was going to start today, infact I put 3 of my own eggs for test run in today around noon. And now it's 5pm... and when I went to double check to see if I had gotten more eggs today I found my red cochin sitting on her nest where she's been since this morning. GO figure huh, set the incubator and my cochin might be broody as well

Then again if she is this would be her first time.
So what would you do?
Leave the cochin to see what she does? Leave the incubator going? In a couple days if she prooves broody would you give her the incubator eggs?
So many options

 

[SilverPhoenix]

Hahaha, the same thing happened to me!

I was thinking of ordering an incubator, and voila, one of my seramas went broody! And by the time the incubator was ordered and arrived and ready and all, it was almost hatching day! I personally decided to just use her to hatch for now, and then when all her eggs are hatched anything else I end up wanting to hatch goes in the incubator. The broody is easier and will raise the eggs and babies right without as much tweaking and effort and worry. Just watch your hen to make sure she doesn't go out of being broody, which happens on occasion. If she does get out of broody mode, just get the eggs quickly and put them in the incubator!

You could always put half the eggs under her and half in the incubator, too.

Regardless of what you choose, good luck!

 

[quailbrain]

I would let her have the eggs and if she gives up stick them in the incubator. I read on another post that swans (not cochin I know) have a 90% chance if they are brooded for the first 10 days at least.... might work for you.

 

[Goat_Walker]

Id say the broody. But thats MPO because I suck with the bator, lol

 

[aussieheelr]

Well I think it's official. My little girl is still on her eggs... it's now 12:28 am and 17*f outside and she's hanging on! So tomorrow I'll set up her special place seperated from everyone and give her the other eggs too. Don't know what's she's got under her other than an egg donated from a leghorn that I stuffed under her to see what she'd do.

 

[aussieheelr]

K. So since my last post...
Buffy is inside in a box in the guest bathroom. I just candled eggs, we're at day 13 now and my 2 ee eggs under her are too dark to see anything... BUT the 3 leghorn/ee eggs, white shells of coarse, I can see! 2 are coming along SWIMINGLY the third looks like it might have stopped. It's way behind on the others, but also has poop on it so I'm thinking that one day she didn't get off the nest fast enough. So at least 2 chickies.
So proud of the first time broody. And I'm a first time hatcher so I'm happy!