Hen sitting on 22 eggs

[Bossier Ranch]

I have a leghorn hen. She is almost a year old. She didn't come to eat with the others this morning, so I looked around the yard and couldnt find her. I gotr worried something happened to her, then I found her under a bush sitting on 22 eggs. She did not want to get up. I think she thinks they are going to hatch. Is this possible with no Rooster? Is this what "Broody" is? What should I do?

 

[~*B*~]

No rooster = no babies. Yes that's a broody hen. Take them away and pitch them. Then watch her daily til she snaps out of it.

 

[Bossier Ranch]

Thankyou, does this mean the eggs are no good to eat also? I did not realize she was laying somewhere else besides her coop. I noticed she wasn't providing any eggs for awile, but 22 seems like alot more than normal, I know it hadnt been that long since I got an egg from her. She is the only hen we have that lays white eggs. Could she have laid more than one in one sitting?

 

[~*B*~]

They normally can only lay one a day. Anymore would be rare and an abnormality. I would not eat then not knowing how long they have been out there. Her body temp will spoil the eggs quickly.

 

[Bossier Ranch]

ok, thankyou! As soon as I took them all out, she went back to her normal self and started laying in her coop again. Sadly, the eggs are all thrown out, I can't believe we didn't find them there on our Easter egg hunt, lol!