I have a Bantam hen that has been sitting on eggs for about a week. If I exchange her eggs with guinea eggs (which take a week longer to hatch), will she continue to sit on them until they hatch? This will mean that she will have to sit on the eggs two weeks longer than it would of taken to hatch her own eggs. Thanks for your help!

-- Jodie in E TX (stanchnmotion@yahoo.com), April 27, 2002

Answers

No knowledge here Jodie, I am sorry, however you might post your question on www.poultryconnection.com, I bet someone there WILL know. I am going to watch for your question and any answers as I am curious about this too. I can tell you that when one of my ducks sit and "later layed" eggs are put under them, they will leave the nest when most of the youngin's have hatched out. And if sitting on infertile eggs they will sit a week or so longer or so I have been told. Interesting question! :) LQ

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), April 27, 2002.

What the hens do is listen for peeps in the egg. That's why they will kick out bad ones in the last week or so - they are silent & the good ones are saying "Hi Mom!" If there is a whole week between hatch dates, she probably won't keep sitting. If it's only a day or 2, some will & some won't. Depends on the hen.

-- Bonnie (stichart@plix.com), April 27, 2002.

Won't help you much, but my Mom used to have a rooster she could "set" by telling him when she wanted to get up. He would hop on her window sill and crow at the right time every time, even when it changed and even allowing for daylight savings. Of course, she also had a banty hen that would eat out of her hand (Little Debbie jelly rolls) and drink iced tea out of her glass, and she talks to cows, so it's only to be expected....

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), April 27, 2002.

As people have suggested above, it could go either way, but I think there is a good chance she will stay with the eggs until they hatch. Some people have a hen set until almost time for the hatch and then take the eggs and finish them in an incubator and give the hen another batch to sit on for 3 more weeks. Since this seems to work for some people, I'd guess she might go for it. Just don't leave any calendars where she can see them!

-- Jeff (lorianandjeff@aol.com), April 27, 2002.

Thanks Jeff & Bonnie! Your answers were very helpful. I think I will exchange her eggs for the guinea eggs and see if it works.

-- Jodie in TX (stanchnmotion@yahoo.com), April 27, 2002.