22 eggs and still not sitting!

[rifflelane]

Hi,
I'm a new duck owner, and my 7 month-old hen has laid 22 eggs (in her night coop), and still has not started sitting. Actually, she does sleep on them, and covers them with shavings each morning. She and the drake are free-range with our chickens all day. She is a Runner/Saxony cross. Is there even a possibility the eggs (if fertile) are still viable? Should I throw them out? I have no idea what to do!

Thanks for any advice,

Kerri

 

[Bills vs Beaks]

After 22 days? Call the bomb squad! If you ever watched Charlotte's Web (old version) when the rotten egg explodes...that's real life.So is the smell part. Be very careful. Trust me. I know. Personally.
'Nuff a' that.
As for setting... you can't really tell if she will ever set but she's still young so who knows

Its some thing I don't think you can force but maybe there are things you can do to encourage? I've heard lots (15 hours or more) of light can set them off maybe that will help.
Good luck

 

[chickens really]

You really might have created stink bombs?....

Setting eggs can not be forced but is natural for hens if they ever set eggs.....

 

[HeatherD42]

If you don't have a reliable broody it's probably better to see if she will sit on fake eggs and keep the real eggs in a favorable environment. At least that way you can rotate out the oldest ones after a week and still eat them!

 

[rifflelane]

Thanks all, for the advice! I'm (carefully) removing them tomorrow!