For how long should you add more unset eggs?

greenaus · **Posted:** Thu Feb 21, 2008 10:49 am

I put the broody pekin/silkie cross (that's what we think she is anyway) on 5 eggs last night and gave her another bantam egg half an hour ago.

One of the bantams is down there now popping another one out and I'll give that to the broody as well.

I wrote to Cashmere Chickens early this morning in the hope of sourcing 3 or 4 more. Then, that's it. She still has heaps of space under her, but I don't want her to :shock:

Does anyone disagree with what I'm doing -- adding eggs within the first 12-24 hours?

I've added a poll to this topic, too. I did read through the T&C and saw nothing about correct poll etiquette. If I shouldn't be adding polls, or not two polls on two topics in one day, please let me know. I don't want to embarrass myself or be cast out. :oops:

pjh · **Posted:** Thu Feb 21, 2008 12:26 pm

a clutch of eggs hatches over a day or so anyway so to add more eggs within the day just spreads the hatch slightly, fresher eggs usually hatch first anyway so has very little impact :lol:

cheers p

Kylie · **Posted:** Thu Feb 21, 2008 8:14 pm

One question though?? I had set pekin eggs under my broody and just thought that the hatch would happen in 21 days time until Darren mentioned that peking eggs hatch around 18 days, some may disagree (it depends on thier own hatch's) but Mine where spot on 18 days.. Are yours all pekin or are they large and small? Just thought i would mention it as pekin would hatch on day 18 and then hatch large ones 3 days later??

Maybe thats one for the Dumb question thread :oops:

But thought that it was worth asking..

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

Up to 24 hours maximum.

Thanks
P.A :lol:

greenaus · **Posted:** Fri Feb 22, 2008 2:59 am

I only added two to the original five, both within 16 hours.

kam31 wrote:

One question though?? I had set pekin eggs under my broody and just thought that the hatch would happen in 21 days time until Darren mentioned that peking eggs hatch around 18 days, some may disagree (it depends on thier own hatch's) but Mine where spot on 18 days.. Are yours all pekin or are they large and small? Just thought i would mention it as pekin would hatch on day 18 and then hatch large ones 3 days later??

They are all bantam eggs. Only a little bigger to those you had under her.

I recall threads about earlier hatching for bantams. Day 19, I think.

Obviously as you said, day 18 for Pekins.

I've also read about incubator hatches delayed by low temperature and sped up by higher temperature during incubation.

Maybe the Pekin is warmer.

Because I'd done the egg-to-eye-socket temperature check with my incubator eggs, during the move to the new broody pen, I checked one of the eggs and it seemed as warm or warmer than I recall my incubator eggs being.

That gave me comfort to know that my incubator eggs are warm enough, and definitely not hot.

Edit: I'm a little surprised that 2/7 people so far have selected "Up to day 21 and keep her broody because I'm twisted". There were no supporting comments in the forum, so I don't know if these two are...
1. really twisted
2. kidding around
3. willing to keep adding eggs, keep a hen broody, keep taking her chickens as they hatch. Sounds like the broody hen equivalent of a battery hen.
4. genuine

.

County Lodge · **Posted:** Fri Feb 22, 2008 3:13 pm

I would not add eggs after 24 hours and I would not have a broody setting on eggs from bantams and large fowl. I speak from experience.

I had a mixed lot of eggs under a broody once (being novice try anything once, too dumb to know better). Once the bantams hatched she abandoned the other eggs 2 to 3 days out from hatching. It was so dissapointing and sad as I don't own an incubator and I lost the other chicks. :cry:

Deans' Poultry · **Posted:** Fri Feb 22, 2008 3:29 pm

Yep ya really need an incubator on standby when you've got a broody sitting on eggs imho as she could go off the brood at any time.
As i've mentioned in another thread, i have a r.i.r hen sitting on a clutch of eggs, each day her clutch gets a little bigger as she shares the nest with a laying australorp. There are 2 other nest boxes but she chooses to lay where the broody is and the broody then shuffles the others hens egg into the clutch.
I have the day marked on the calender when she started sitting. A couple days before chicks start hatching i'll move the nest box including hen and eggs put all in a large cage. If she goes off the brood, i'll then take the unhatched eggs to the hatching tray in the incubator. If she miraculously stays on the brood, as chicks hatch i'll take each chick away and put in the brooder.

greenaus · **Posted:** Fri Feb 22, 2008 5:21 pm

County Lodge wrote:

I would not add eggs after 24 hours and I would not have a broody setting on eggs from bantams and large fowl.

All's well then.

I only added two eggs, both within 16 hours.

She is only sitting on bantam eggs. The eggs she was sitting on at kam31's were dead, they were not going to hatch and she hasn't got them under her anymore.

[Edit: The point I was trying to make was that she only has one size under her. She was generously given to me as broody, no dead eggs included. Kylie kept those...I don't think for too long

)

My Isa Brown X hasn't laid for at least six days now.

And, she is on her own now, so there is no chance of extra eggs being laid in her nest.

Kylie · **Posted:** Sat Feb 23, 2008 4:48 pm

HI Charles :-D

Is she still sitting on your eggs? I bet she is, the only reason i left the dead ones there was i was trying to find some silkie eggs and thought it would help to keep her broody..

Hope you have a good hatch..

greenaus · **Posted:** Sun Feb 24, 2008 12:22 am

I apologise for not keeping you updated Kylie.

The perfect mother to be, she is sitting on the eggs like nothing else exists in the world around her.

I haven't disturbed her or her nest since putting her in the broody pen.

I know she's in there, I looked in on her late last night, but I haven't seen her off the nest for a drink or food. As she isn't laying, I've provided her with some of the "Free Range Mix" which I reckon would be a great treat for the mother-to-be. It is 15 or 16% protein.

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