Using broody hens

[SuperPeacockman]

I've been a bad bycer and haven't been on in a while but I'm back! I was wondering about using hens to incubate pea eggs, I have some a broody Orpington and an Australorp who seems like she's going to go broody and I was wondering if any of you ever used hens to hatch peas. If so how many eggs should I put under these girls

 

[3BirdGirlz]

I put 3 under my bantam Cochin. One developed, but I took it out and hatched it in my incubator the last couple days. So I'd say she did a fantastic job! Plus it was my first peahen egg I tried to hatch. What I've read from others here is some use hens and others don't. Legg's peafowl uses Cochins to start all his eggs the first week. Check out his website...very good info.

 

[connerhills]

They work a lot better than an incubator

I use Cochin bantams and
Sumatra's . The larger breeds can cover 6-8 easy enough. You just have to watch for snakes taking the eggs with chicks in them and leave you the bad ones. Be sure they are setting good first and don't go back on another nest and leave theirs open .. some birds are better at staying on their nest and not go nest hoping, I pen most of mine up when they start setting good. . George

 

[kuntrygirl]

I have read to let a hen incubate them for 10 days and then move to the incubator. I will try that this time but I don't trust my hens to incubate them to full term. My girls play musical nesting boxes too frequent for me to trust them.

 

[SuperPeacockman]

Okay thanks guys! I was thinking if her going all the way to hatch rather than just the beginning of incubation like leggs does

 

[BYC-user-174785]

I mainly use Cochin bantams to hatch our peafowl eggs, but I do also use our larger Marans. A peafowl breeder near me also uses Cochin bantams. I have the hens stay on the eggs until they hatch, and take the chicks away. I find that to be the best option since I do not have problems with my hens switching nests. I just wish I had more broody hens right now since I have over 120 ornamental ducks eggs... I also let a turkey have peafowl eggs to hatch. She is extremely reliable.

 

[casportpony]

I mainly use Cochin bantams to hatch our peafowl eggs, but I do also use our larger Marans.  A peafowl breeder near me also uses Cochin bantams.  I have the hens stay on the eggs until they hatch, and take the chicks away.  I find that to be the best option since I do not have problems with my hens switching nests.  I just wish I had more broody hens right now since I have over 120 ornamental ducks eggs...  I also let a turkey have peafowl eggs to hatch.  She is extremely reliable.  

Curiously, how many eggs can they cover?

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

They work a lot better than an incubator   I use Cochin bantams and  

Sumatra's .  The larger breeds can cover 6-8   easy enough. You just have to watch for snakes taking the eggs with chicks in them and leave you the bad ones. Be sure they are setting good first  and don't go back on  another nest and leave theirs open .. some birds are better at staying on their nest and not go nest hoping, I pen most of mine up when they start setting good. .  George

George, how many eggs do you put under your bantams?

-Kathy

 

[animalgirl12]

I had a broody road island red hatch out two and she did a great job I highly recommend it!!!

 

[connerhills]

My method is to have at least 4-6 cochins broody and set 5 eggs under each one. and in 10 or so days , then candle, take out any bad and consolidate the good, as there all set the same day and replace the eggs under how ever many hens I took the eggs from and any more that are setting, some years I have 20 or 30 cochin hens setting and I use them as much as I can. I used to have a lot of silkies that were good setters but the coons got all of them.. the Cochins are not as bad at nest jumping as the silkies were. The Sumatras are good setters just a little mean to check under them. George