2 nests, 8 eggs in one, 6 eggs in the other.... ONE sitting hen going from nest to nest!

[DoubleAFarm]

What do I do?? I put a leg band on her to make sure she is the one doing all the sitting and sure enough, she is! There are 2 other laying age hens in the coop. They are all silkies.

I am so new at this and a friend says I am worrying myself too much lol

 

[Jharper]

What do I do?? I put a leg band on her to make sure she is the one doing all the sitting and sure enough, she is! There are 2 other laying age hens in the coop. They are all silkies.

I am so new at this and a friend says I am worrying myself too much lol

Close her up with the clutch you want her to sit in or move her to another nest. Because more than likely when she gets off the nest to excrete and eat, she is getting confused with the nest when she goes back to sit.

 

[DoubleAFarm]

Do I move all the egg under her??

 

[Jharper]

Which ever ones you want to hatch. Make sure it's secluded so other hens won't find her and try to go lay with her.

 

[Barrdwing]

My hens do this too. Sometimes I'll have a broody who seems to understand which box is "hers," and defends it against all comers for a week or even two . . . but sooner or later she gets mixed up and abandons her clutch for the eggs in a different box. I'd recommend fencing off a little area in your coop for her so that she has her nest, eggs, food and water, but she can't get out and the others can't get in. I'm going to be doing that with one of our hens this weekend--she's too low-ranking to defend her box against the rest, and of course she chose one of the favorite boxes!