16 eggs found in a nest hidden by a broody hen

[HenalayLady]

Can these eggs be used for anything? The nights have been 40 or under, days warmer. She sat on them for 2 days and nights. I'm considering hard-boiling them, mashing them and feeding them to the hens. Opinions? Thanks.

 

[Silkie Chick]

If you have pigs then you can feed the eggs to them... Unfortunately I don't think there is any chicken breed that can keep 16 eggs warm enough for them to hatch. If you choose to mash them be careful that you do a good job making them unrecognizable as eggs or you might be encouraging egg eating.

 

[jeslewmazer]

As long as you are not squeamish, then your idea sounds pretty good. I know I could not intentionally boil them and then mash them if they had been set on for more than a day and fertile. I think the mashing part would be the nasty part for me. I just boil the eggs and cut them in half to feed back to the hens. If they are fertile (and you don't want chicks) or not, feeding them back to the hens is the only thing I can think of for them to be used for. I would definitely not want to eat them.

 

[HenalayLady]

Thanks for your thoughts. The eggs aren't fertile--we don't have a rooster anywhere in the area. I routinely give them back their egg shells, crushed, for the calcium, and the occasional hard-boiled egg, for the protein. I just didn't know if there was another solution...I don't have pigs or other livestock.

 

[jeslewmazer]

If you have dogs, mine like eggs. To prevent a egg eater dog, cook the eggs first. I can't think of anything to use them for other than feeding them to some animal.