Should I let my broody hatch?

[Chicks Galore3]

My bantam sebright hen has been broody for 5 days and if she remains broody for a couple more days, I was thinking of letting her hatch a couple eggs. I have a lot of questions, but I think one will be the deciding factor. I will be gone days 11-17 if I let her hatch. (Assumng I give her the eggs I want her to hatch this coming Thursday, around 7 days after she was first broody.) Is it a smart idea to let her sit when I'm not home? She would be a first time mama. There will be someone checking on my flock 2 times a day.

 

[huntersquail]

Being gone that far along could cause problems... If she is outside. Predators may cause trouble that you could prevent otherwise. But if she is inside she may be protected from the predators, but others chickens may invade her nest and lay eggs or destroy the nest. But there are risks associated with any hatch. No eggs should be hatching then though. Use your best judgement.

 

[huntersquail]

Oops, double post.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

The chicken coop is inside the barn. No critters have gotten in the barn for 6 years. So I feel pretty confident about that. I was thinking of moving her out of the coop because she is brooding in the favorite nesting box. I think might try and hope for the best.

 

[huntersquail]

That sounds like a better idea!

 

[Chicks Galore3]

How long after I move her should I wait to give her eggs? Also, I am going to give her eggs from my own flock. If I saw my rooster breeding my hen, is it safe to assume that her eggs are fertile? Or is there someway I should check?

 

[Kev]

Yes, move her if possible to a setup where she is the only hen with access to that nest.

Wait 1-2 days after moving to give eggs, if she has been sticking to the nest day and night. If she gets up often, paces around letting the eggs get cold. wait. She may eventually settle down and sit tight.. that is when you give eggs. Some hens sit tight the whole time or some take a while after a move.

With isolated broody hens there is no need to check on her. Being gone for a few days or even a week is no problem.

With the set up she originally started on, that is a problem even with daily checking. The other hens are bothering her and will have a fair to good chance of getting the eggs broken when they try to lay their eggs in that nest. Being gone for 2 days could be a problem if the hens add so many eggs she cannot cover all of the eggs, possibly getting the intended eggs killed by cooling down.

If the rooster is breeding the hens normally- not struggling due to size difference or something like that, it is safe to assume the eggs are generally fertile.

It is a good idea to candle the eggs at a week to check for fertility. If they all or mostly fertile, you can leave and remove the infertiles. If the eggs are not fertile or too few are(just one or two), remove ALL eggs and do a total replacement with fresh eggs. Do not be tempted to leave the one fertile egg and add new eggs.. the hen will not stay on after the one chick hatches.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Thank you very much! How many eggs can a bantam successfully sit on?

 

[Kev]

Oh good question, it depends on size of their breasts and eggs. Hard to tell without seeing the hen, maybe 6 large eggs or 10ish bantam eggs? You should not be able to see the eggs from the front or back at all once she is settled over them.

by the way it is generally better to set similarly sized eggs- all bantam or all large.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

I only have a standard rooster so she'll be raising standards, orp-ee and maybe orp-star crosses. I'll start with 3 or 4 and see how that goes.