Broody Pekin

[KTpekin]

Hi just wondering two of my girls have decided to go broody again.
They are both around 10-11 months old. Would they be ok if I use
one of them to incubate/hatch 2 fertile eggs, or should i wait till they are a bit older?
Thanks

 

[chrismahon]

The old handbooks advise against using a broody under two years of age KTP. The risk is they will get fed up and abandon the eggs I suppose. In our case a year old buff orpington sat on 10 and went the distance. But she paniced at the end and ate the chicks as they hatched. So she ate the first 6 out and we removed the last 4 eggs and hatched one of them. Other people have had success at that age, but when they incubate it weakens them. So if you can break their broodiness it would be better long term.

They need to be in a separate coop and run and be well dusted against lice because any will multiply like mad while she is sitting.