Hi, my broody and I are new to hatching and I would like some advice.
1) Is 12 too many for a first time hen to sit on? She seems to be covering them all, but it's impossible to tell if the edge ones are the getting enough heat. I notice different eggs at the edges each time I look, so they are getting rotated. She's a full-sized black australorp, and although she's small, she really spreads out on the eggs!
2) is 72 hours too soon to start thinning the eggs? There are 3 eggs (#2,6,11) that look the same as they did after 24 hrs: clear with a small shadowy blob. Should I remove them in order to reduce the crowding?
3) I check every day in the morning and evening, basically when I let the flock out to free range and then let them back in. Is this too often? It doesn't seem to bother her.
1) Is 12 too many for a first time hen to sit on? She seems to be covering them all, but it's impossible to tell if the edge ones are the getting enough heat. I notice different eggs at the edges each time I look, so they are getting rotated. She's a full-sized black australorp, and although she's small, she really spreads out on the eggs!
2) is 72 hours too soon to start thinning the eggs? There are 3 eggs (#2,6,11) that look the same as they did after 24 hrs: clear with a small shadowy blob. Should I remove them in order to reduce the crowding?
3) I check every day in the morning and evening, basically when I let the flock out to free range and then let them back in. Is this too often? It doesn't seem to bother her.