Think a medium-sized hen can brood 16 eggs?

[instar8]

My eggs are on the way! My broody little Barnevelder is dying to sit on them. She's a nice sized bird, but not real big...think she can handle 16 eggs? I have an incubator, but i'd rather let her do the work, since she's volunteering. ;~) I haven't had the best experiences with the incubator. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks,
Lynn

 

[OldChurchEggery1]

No, I think 16 is too many. My upper limit is 10 eggs under my large fowl. You could always put some under the broody and some in the incubator. If she's never set eggs before, you're risking total failure putting all 16 eggs under her.

If there are too many eggs, some will not get enough warmth to develop and when the hen moves the eggs under her, she'll rotate out the warm, developing eggs and bring under the cool eggs. It creates a cycle of heat/cold that kills developing embryos.

If I were you, I would let her try out some and put some in your incubator, but leave space in the incubator in case she gives up partway through. This heat wave could easily break up her broodiness or worse, kill her if she refuses to leave the nest to eat or drink.

 

[instar8]

Thanks! I was kinda thinking that way, wasn't sure how many one hen can do...this girl has been sitting on nothing( itake the eggs every day) all thru this 100 degree weather. I shooed her into a max sized wire dog crate, so's i can shut her up away from predators, since it's just too bloody hot to shut up the other residents of the house, and have been putting food and water within reach. she's one determined ol hen, especially since she's not quite a year old yet!

I'm hatching shipped eggs, and the bulk of them are Araucanas, challenging to hatch anyway. I may just let her have those, and do the rest in the incubator...but still let her care for all the chicks. KInda the exact opposite of what i used to do, let the hen hatch them, then take them away.

 

[OldChurchEggery1]

I hope everything works out for you. It's so fun seeing a hen with chicks peeking out from under her.

 

[instar8]

Thanks! It's got to be better than having them under heat lamps in the bathroom;~) My first 25 chicks started out in a whirlpool tub. You're a pretty egg lover, too? I have Ameraucanas and Barnevelders. Next year I'd like to start some Marans. Hoping I at least get a few Araucanas, shipped eggs are challenging enough, plus their genetic flaws. Broodies hatch eggs so effortlessly, I'm thinking probably after candling at a week, I'll have few enough developing that they can all go under her.

 

[bigT88]

I would put all of them in the incubator. Unless you dont mind risking some. She might not stay sitting on them

 

[instar8]

I had a hard time keeping the incubator humidity right last year, (i think bevause the a/c was cranking, just like it is this year) and i had a lot of sticky chicks, they gave me fits...i lost two. I'd be so bummed if any of these made it all the way to hatch and then couldn't get out. I always have it as a standby....sigh.

 

[clucky3255]

I would put all of them in the incubator. Unless you dont mind risking some. She might not stay sitting on them

Ya .. I agree with you bigT88 .....