Will she sit or should I?

[Lov'emSouthernEggs]

I have a Sebright hen that I have let collect eggs in her nest. I have a Brahma hen that has started laying in that same nest. Brahma eggs not fertalized. Sebright hen eggs are.

Some of the eggs must be getting broken because my egg count is staying at 15 or so but they are still laying.

I am hoping that one of them will sit. I have heard that Sebrights won't sit but people that HAVE Sebrights say they do. I have read that Brahma's will sit and are good sitters.

There are feathers in the nest now. More everyday. Is that a good sign?

Questions????

How long do I wait? Can they both sit on the same nest? Should I just incubate them? (Can't incubate for a few more weeks...have some in there now.) I really want them to do it themselves!

What are the signs of a broody hen?

Thoughts? Experiances?

 

[loverOFchickens]

Signs of broody hen= makes a rrrrrrrr noise when you come close to nest.
Turns eggs, Does not get up for more than 20 min.

Personally I think 15 is a little much.
I reccomend 7 eggs for barahma mama and 5 or 6 for miss serema.
Maybe even less.
Too many eggs could be why they are cracking.

 

[walkswithdog]

If the sight of 15 eggs doesn't set off one, then they're just NOT ready to sit. And fewer eggs, they're getting crushed and once crushed you can start an egg eater.

 

[Lollipop]

Broody Hens;

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html

 

[rizq]

If it is an LF Brahma she could surely cover more than 7. My BO is on 13 (I gave her 11, the others came from the flock before I partitioned her off) and covers them easily. I plan to give my Brahma 15 eggs tonight as she is larger than the BO and should have no problem covering.

If the Brahma is a bantam, then I have no idea.

 

[walkswithdog]

My Partridge Rocks do 12 eggs easily. And won't bother to sit less than 10.

 

[Lov'emSouthernEggs]

Quote:
Thank you for the information. I feel much like the author. I think they should raise their own chicks. I feel that the chicks are missing much by not having a chicken mother. I would like to have a hen or so to raise all the eggs I want to hatch. I am new at this and still learning.

Thank you!

Oh, I pulled the eggs today. They are still breaking and I am afraid that I will have an egg eater. I don't want that but was very hopefull one would sit. Maybe one will still sit and I can slide these in.

QUESTION- Can the eggs be cleaned before being stored to hatch?

 

[rizq]

You can put golf balls or plastic eggs in the nest to encourage them to sit without having the risk of you good eggs breaking

I have never had to do this ... mine will go broody on whatever the other hens laid that day, if they have to, lol.