After the Chicks

[sullivan's chicklets]

Hi! So my hen has been raising her brood for about 7 weeks now. When I went out to check on them yesterday evening she had laid an egg... What do I do now? Do I take the egg like I do from my other non-broody hens or will she want to sit and raise another clutch? Are the eggs she's laying now even fertilized?

Thanks!

 

[sourland]

You can take the eggs or leave them - it's your choice. If your rooster has access to her, the eggs are probably fertile. Depending upon the breed, she may very well go broody again this year. Many hens raise multiple batches of chicks in a given year.

 

[sullivan's chicklets]

He's had no access to her since the chicks hatched and I removed her nest from the main pen and thanks for the info!