Good broody will sit an extra week without much trouble. Silkies will sit until cows come home.Lori wrote:QR_BBPOSTI don't mean to hijack this post, I'm following it along here and I have a question about what you said Ontario Chick. How long after she starts sitting can you give a broody hen fertile eggs? If I were to put fertile eggs under a hen who has been broody for a couple weeks....would she continue to sit on them until they hatch, or would she quit 3 weeks after she started sitting?Ontario Chick wrote:QR_BBPOST I hope it works out, let us know how things go.
BTW, if that doesn't work out you can always give her some eggs to sit on :)
Just a heads up, a hen that is going to be sitting for an extended period should be in good body condition and free of parasites.
Same here. I never trust a broody with the "real" eggs until she has sat firmly for 4 or 5 days on dummy eggs.Killerbunny wrote:QR_BBPOST I have had hens keep sitting and hatch turkey eggs for me - 28 days. Add 2 or 3 to make sure she's broody. The stimulus for them to stop sitting is the chicks beginning to hatch and chat to her.