Put 5 eggs under broody successfully!

[airmom1c05]

I moved Penny and her nest of golf balls into an isolation pen just now. DH carried the basket of what we hope are her fertile eggs. She pecked me as I removed the golf balls. There was only room for four of them under the little Serama bantam. I was able to place her freshest 5 eggs under her just barely. I checked the oldest one that wouldn't fit using the water test, and it floated! It was laid March 2, so I was surprised it was already bad. I hope the next freshest one laid on the 4th is OK. I read I shouldn't candle them until day 10 (halfway through), but do you think I would see something in about 4 days? I know when you folks who use an incubator check, you check on the 3rd or 4th day, right? I don't want to risk having a bad one explode. Anyway, I'm so JOYFUL that she wasn't roosting this evening and she stayed in the nest while I exchanged her eggs for golf balls! Hopefully we will hatch some silkie Serama chicks early April!

 

[silkiechicken]

Well, in incubators... and broody's, I would recommend candling on day 6 at bare bare bare minimum. I can't even see them at day 4 reliably and I do a lot of candling. I don't toss till day 14.

 

[airmom1c05]

Thanks, Silkie. Do you find it odd that an egg laid March 2 kept at room temp was a floater today?

 

[austinhart123]

Oooooooooooooh...someones gonna be a mommy...congrats

 

[airmom1c05]

Here are a couple of pics of my broody Penny. Ain't she SWEET!!!!????!!!!

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
If you have low humidity in your area, that woudn't be out of the question after two weeks outside.

 

[airmom1c05]

The egg was brought inside the day it was laid! I kept it in a basket on the kitchen counter and turned it daily. I hope the eggs laid later which I also brought in as soon as they were laid are OK. If not, I will be placing a couple of live day olds under her so she will be rewarded properly for setting so well.

Just a couple of more days before I try to candle for the first time in my life! It's really rather exciting.

 

[Bawkadoodledoo]

wow she's such a fluffy broody baby!

 

[jkcove08]

Broodies are so nice to have!! I have one that I brought in the house. She was constantly broody last year. I started her with 7 little eggs and yesterday put 14 under her that are suppose to hatch next thursday. After those hatch I will have another set that are about ready to hatch that I can put under her again. I cant let my hens keep thier chicks since the cats always get the babies. I just love this little broody!! I keep water and food right in the container too so she has everything she needs. I also give her treats for being such a good girl. Jenn

 

[airmom1c05]

Bawkadoodledoo, she is a silkie Serama bantam, so she's pretty fluffy regularly. My DH thinks she doesn't look like much more than a baby herself! I think she puffs up somehow to manage to cover those 5 eggs which make her look even fluffier.

jkcove08, do you mean the outdoor cats get the baby chicks if you let the hens raise them? What do you do with the chicks when they hatch? I don't have any other source of fertile eggs since my other 3 hens are much too large for the Serama rooster. I plan to let Penny raise her chicks. Hopefully she will lay eggs again when the chicks are large enough to get out of the pen (or sooner). I wish my DH would allow me to bring her in the house. That's really neat! I can't imagine how yours can cover 14 eggs at once! What kind is she? God-made "incubators" are a blessing!