Borrowing a Broody

[vicky]

I've been offered the loan of a friend's bantam next time she goes broody. How feasible would it be?
Would she still be broody after being taken away from home to a strange place?
I would have to borrow/construct a seperate pen for her - should this be near the current coop - so they can get used to her and accept the chicks more easily? Or would she be happier out of sight of them?
How many eggs under a banty?
What else have I missed? (Don't worry there are plans for any boys that hatch...)
How do I persuade my hubby it's a good idea?

[Bramble-Poultry]

She should still be broody if she was properly broody in the first place - also depends on distance you are travelling whith her.

When you get her home and pop her in her broody coop make sure there are eggs for her to sit on already in there this will make her more likely to remain broody - china eggs or spare eating eggs are best so you don;t waste your hatching eggs if she moves off the nest.

She should sit on 6 full size eggs (assuming shes not a very small bantam) and up to 12 bantam eggs depending on their size. My pekin will sit happily on 12 of her own eggs.

I would pop the coop in view of others just so they can see each other but if this is not convenient then it is no real problem

[Nicos]

My bantam could only just fit 2 normal sized eggs under each wing.
One died during hatching.
The other 3 are 5 weeks- and almost as big as 'mom' They have had to sit on the perch at night as they are too big to cuddle under her wings.
I must say I was a bit worried about this when it went down to -3C for a couple of nights- but they were fine.
( my banties stayed under wing until at least 6 weeks of age!)

It's not just egg size- but chick size you need to consider! (mind you - it's warmer now at night!)

[RichmondHens]

I've been offered the loan of a friend's bantam next time she goes broody. How feasible would it be?
Would she still be broody after being taken away from home to a strange place?
I would have to borrow/construct a seperate pen for her - should this be near the current coop - so they can get used to her and accept the chicks more easily? Or would she be happier out of sight of them?
How many eggs under a banty?
What else have I missed? (Don't worry there are plans for any boys that hatch...)
How do I persuade my hubby it's a good idea?

If she's sitting tight she will travel ok. If it's possible to transport her and settle her into the coop at night that would be best. My first broody bantam was given to me by my Dad and travelled for an hour to get to me. Went straight in and sat on eggs, sat well and hatched the lot!

I would site the pen away from the others as they are strangers to her. When truly broody they don't tend to want contact with other hens anyway.

Number of eggs depends on size of bird. I only manage 4 large under mine (they are bantam Light Sussex or LS crosses) but if you are sitting bantam eggs then she would cover 12 happily.

If you are unsure how she will settle you can start her on three or four non-hatching eggs just to make sure she is tight enough. Then swop them for the proper ones after a day or so.

As for persuading your hubby if it's a good idea .....well ....... use your imagination!

[Bramble-Poultry]

As for persuading your hubby if it's a good idea .....well ....... use your imagination!

Don;t tell him - what he don't know won't hurt him

[Nicos]

You wicked pair!!

[MaureenHall]

I've got a borrowed broody, mind you, I did only bring her a few hundred yards from her home to mine I put her in the broody coop at night with the eggs I wanted her to hatch. If she strains her neck enough she can probably see the others in the run, and of course they do nosey up to her run when they're out in the garden and it doesn't seem to phase her too much. Good luck (sounds like an early night then )

[Shellintons]

I have had broody hens who have sat on eggs for a week and then abandoned them. I have also had some that sat through anything, building work etc.
My last one, I lent to Maureen And even though she's only down the road, she (apparently) sat on the eggs like a dream. But stood on a couple of chicks. Can't have it all, but unless you have golden eggs, or even just some quite expensive ones, I think it's worth a try.
Good luck.
Oh and the early night sounds good for persuading your hubby. Works for me I have far too many chicks/hens/cockerels right now. I think he needs to pesuade me to stop lol

[vicky]

Thanks for all the advice you crude lot!
The Broody is only 5 mins away so not far at all. I feel a bit calculating though as I've never seen her and am planning on using her for my own wicked purposes!
Now for the choosing of which breed to hatch....