Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[KV Silkies]

hi all, getting the hatching itch! I have a broody that has been patiently sitting while I take away the eggs daily... getting in some shipped eggs in another week and a half (poor thing waiting!)

anyhow, wondering how many eggs to put under my little broody silkie and how many to put in my bator? getting in 18 + shipped.... last year when ordering from this gal (two separate orders) had 80% hatch success on my shipped eggs so hoping for that again! these are silkie eggs i'm getting in so will be her size, not full sized eggs.... any info appreciated.

Thanks!!!
Val

 

[Lady of McCamley]

hi all, getting the hatching itch! I have a broody that has been patiently sitting while I take away the eggs daily... getting in some shipped eggs in another week and a half (poor thing waiting!)

anyhow, wondering how many eggs to put under my little broody silkie and how many to put in my bator? getting in 18 + shipped.... last year when ordering from this gal (two separate orders) had 80% hatch success on my shipped eggs so hoping for that again! these are silkie eggs i'm getting in so will be her size, not full sized eggs.... any info appreciated.

Thanks!!!
Val

I did the same thing with shipped eggs with full size eggs (Buckeyes)...I put 6 under my banty Silkie and 6 in the incubator. Checked at day 5, pulled the non-developing ones, giving the banty the best, then likewise on day 10. (I had very roughly shipped eggs).

Since these are her size, I'd probably put 9 in the bator and 9 under her...if it is really cold out, or she is small, or a first time broody, then I'd down that a bit to maybe 6 or 7 to be safe.

My thoughts
Lady of McCamley

 

[fisherlady]

hi all, getting the hatching itch! I have a broody that has been patiently sitting while I take away the eggs daily... getting in some shipped eggs in another week and a half (poor thing waiting!)

anyhow, wondering how many eggs to put under my little broody silkie and how many to put in my bator? getting in 18 + shipped.... last year when ordering from this gal (two separate orders) had 80% hatch success on my shipped eggs so hoping for that again! these are silkie eggs i'm getting in so will be her size, not full sized eggs.... any info appreciated.

Thanks!!!
Val

There are a few variables which can effect the number of eggs you give your broody....
1st is the weather/environment. When it is extremely cold and there is a chance that the bottom of the nest is exposed more to the cold then I try to reduce the size of the clutch so the mama hen has plenty of room to keep them well centered.
2nd is the coop environment. If there are other hens which may try to get into her nest to lay eggs then again, I reduce the size of the clutch to avoid over crowding in the nest and a higher likely hood of eggs getting broken.
3rd.... remember whatever the broody hatches she will have to be able to keep warm for at least the first 3 or 4 weeks, so try not to overload her with chicks which may be too crowded for warmth in another few weeks, this isn't as much of a big deal in warmer weather, but in freezing temps it can be very important. If she is unable to cover all of her babies then you can add a heat source near her nest to help prevent strays from freezing. Adding a heat lamp/source is an issue that is very personal (due to possible dangers) but is something you can/should consider if the hen has a larger clutch in cold weather.
With those things to considered, the normal clutch size is dependent on the broody's 'spread'.... each bird is different. Usually I start with an average of 6 eggs for a banty and 10 for a large fowl hen. Then you can add a few more if she seems to have no trouble covering those (within a few minutes, don't stretch it out over hours or days). If you have given her 8 eggs and check her in half an hour and see 2 eggs peeking out somewhere around the edge then pull them and put them into the incubator. Make sure whatever she has is easily covered and she will be happy.

Remember, if you candle during the incubation and find she has 2 or 3 clears you can always pull them an replace them with good ones from the incubator. If you want to keep her clutch small you can always let her have just 4 eggs to sit on and add 2 or 3 incubator chicks when they hatch to bring her clutch of chicks to the size you want her to raise.

Good luck with her!

 

[Kaylish]

I've got an overachiever in the bator. Just went to lock them down (day 19) and already have a pip! All of my broodies are sitting tight and extra defensive also...I might just have some fuzzies tonight!

 

[KV Silkies]

thank you @Lady of McCamley and @fisherlady for your replies! Will start smaller then and go from there, I do candle my broodies so will stuff bator eggs that are making it under her as we go and as she handles stuff as well, sooo exciting!!!!

now to patiently wait for my eggs to arrive.... they won't even get here until the first week in Feb!

now to be patient... and hope my poor broody is in it for the long haul, altho she sure seems to be.
thanks again!
Val
(will keep you posted once my eggs arrive....)

 

[minihorse927]

this is my broody for the night, anyone care to guess how many she's sitting on? I will say she is a almost 3lb English chocolate orpington and you can't fit another egg under her. She is 7 months old. No she will not get to keep all the chicks if they all are fertile and hatch for her sanity and safety of everyone involved. They are bantam size eggs. Looks like I am going to have valentines day chicks!!!

 

[podgal]

This is my broody BCM and the eggs she's sitting on. FEB 7 hatch date. Finally gave in to her after repeated episodes of broodiness. Mixed flock so have no idea who the papa rooster or the mamas are. Should be fun!! Tha ks for all the great postings and cideos.

 

[fisherlady]

this is my broody for the night, anyone care to guess how many she's sitting on? I will say she is a almost 3lb English chocolate orpington and you can't fit another egg under her. She is 7 months old. No she will not get to keep all the chicks if they all are fertile and hatch for her sanity and safety of everyone involved. They are bantam size eggs. Looks like I am going to have valentines day chicks!!!

She certainly looks determined... for bantam eggs I would expect 16 or 18 with the way she has her wings spread out...

 

[minihorse927]

She certainly looks determined... for bantam eggs I would expect 16 or 18 with the way she has her wings spread out...

you're close but to low...

 

[Lady of McCamley]

you're close but to low...

Then I'll make a guess of 26.
LofMc