how many eggs can my broody hen hatch?

[wanttobefarmer]

hello I had 21 fertile eggs arrive today, and I have a broody cuckoo maran, so i placed the eggs under her and she is sitting on them. I heard that a broody can be better than an incubator( my hatch rate was 50 percent at best). Anyway she is a large hen and I wanted to know if 21 was too many. thanks

 

[KellyHM]

As long as they're not sticking out on the sides I'd go for it.

 

[sourland]

21 sounds like a lot, but if she is able to cover all of them with out stacking them she should be OK. Candle and remove any that are not developing to make things easier on her.

 

[chena16c]

Haha! My cuckoo maran just went broody too! Must be the weather we're having. I have 13 eggs under her....2 of them are her own unfertilized eggs...and she kick a "fertilized" one out of the nest today. The 13 fit but I wouldn't put anymore under her. I guess it depends on how big and "flat" she is.

 

[wanttobefarmer]

Thanks everyone. 8 of the eggs are small to medium white eggs and since she completely fills the nesting box everything in there has to be covered.. This will be her first time so I'll try to keep an eye on her. I have the bator standing by. This is my second tine to use a broody. I had a 7 month old showgirl hatch out 12 quail out of 25 eggs.