Setting Fertile Eggs Under Broody Due to Hatch November, Come Join Me!!!

[myhappyfeathers]

Thank you so much Kizanne, I will try that. would it be better to separate one hen from the others, or does it work better to keep them all together. Do broody hens have a better hatch rate then an incubator.

 

[kizanne]

Well I wouldn't seperate until you at least know you have a broody. I have only had two. One is currently on eggs so I'll know more later. The other was a great broody but she stepped on babies after they were born squishing them. It was horrible. I have read they have better hatch rates but I've also read of people who lost 10 eggs when their broody left and they didn't notice in time to incubate. I don't think I'd put expensive eggs under any of my broodies just yet. I do believe God made chickens way more capable of creating a warm humid environment that doesn't condensate than any machine. But being creatures of small minds not all of them do a good job. You won't know if yours is a good broody or not until you first get one and second let them hatch a batch.

My own I'm tempted to steal her eggs for lockdown cause I have pulled her from the nest box and it is off the ground and I really want the eggs to hatch.... I have chicks hatching about that time that I could try to pull a swap. My first broody sat on fake eggs for 2 weeks then real eggs for 2-3 weeks when I candled I realized they hadn't been fertile and so I bought already going into lockdown eggs and put under her for a 'hatch' After 3 squished babies I pulled the others into the bator, hatched them, fluffed them and gave them back. She was a great mama after they were mobile.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

My Happy, I think the best way to 'get' a hen broody is to start off with a breed that's more likely to go broody. Silkies, and Barred Hollands are getting the job done here. I've read that Orpington and Marans are good broodies, but I have both breeds and haven't had a broody yet from either of those breeds. Oh, and my Banty Cochins are great broodies.

 

[kizanne]

My first broody was a speckled sussex. Then when my ameracauna's came of age had 2 out of 3 that wanted to brood. I pulled the fake eggs and kept the egg boxes clean out to stop them. Then after my roo started getting the job done I put the fake eggs back and one of the ameracauna's went broody again. She has 7 eggs under right now due to hatch the 20th or 21st. I do have other chicken getting up in the box and trying to add to her clutch. I have to check regular to keep new ones out. One of the original eggs got cracked the first week.

 

[myhappyfeathers]

Thank you so much Kizanne and Blarneyeggs. I will try that, I have been trying to hatch eggs in a incubator and have not had much luck. On my last batch only got one to hatch out of eight. I'm hoping one of my girls will go broody. Can you tell me were I can find the fake eggs.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

i'm not sure where ou get fake eggs, but golf balls work too.

 

[myhappyfeathers]

I'm gonna try the golf balls, I was also wondering if the plastic Easter eggs might .work

 

[cluckcluckluke]

O.K just an update on me guys, about 2 weeks ago i realized that my broody was hiding an egg from me so instead of going down from 11-8 its only 11-9 which is alright i suppose. They are due to hatch this weekend either tomorrow or Sunday, but I'm not holding my breath. My neighbors broody is sitting on my other 6 other Fertile eggs so in all 15 eggs.

 

[TimBaumann]

Yesterday two of my hens' eggs hatched and were very healthy and happy... today they were just gone! My only guess is that over night rats took them! My first ever chicks that were hatched by one of my hens and now their gone! She has three more eggs under her that will hopefully hatch! This sucks so much!

 

[cluckcluckluke]

i'm not sure where ou get fake eggs, but golf balls work too.

I have fake eggs at my Local Norco (livestock, cow and horse plant store, basically Agriculture store) they come in 2 colors brown and white and they are only like $1AU for 2 eggs.