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 woul of taken to hatch her own eggs. Thanks for your help!

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

Answers

Jodie we have found it depends on the hen-------we have had hens that would sit most of their life if they had eggs to sit on----as they have hatched eggs & we took the babies & they kept sitting---until we put them in a pen that they could only roost in & not sit on anything- --- We have had hens that got up before 15 days & just walked off from their nest----so it will depend on your hen-----is it one you know is a good sitter from sitting in the past?---If she is a good sitter & has proved her self in the past she will probably sit until she has something hatch----

-- Sonda in Ks. (sgbruce@birch.net), April 27, 2002.

Thanks Sonda for your help. I think I will switch her eggs with some guinea eggs and give it a try.

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

Jodie------hon----do you know to switch the eggs in the evening time-- --as "old timers"---(Gosh I could be considered one of those now-ha!) have always told me/ if ya are switching eggs or putting babies under hens---do it just as you have enough light to still be able to see to do the task---just at dusk---- & they will stay sitting on what ever-- it has always worked for me-----but who knows---thought I'd throw that out there---for waht ever----later sonda

-- Sonda in Ks. (sgbruce@birch.net), April 28, 2002.

My Banty hen will sit on eggs until they either hatch or she dies or we take the eggs away....

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), April 29, 2002.