BR sitting on 24 eggs

[polychickens]

OK, one of my barred rocks started sitting on half dozen eggs 2-3 weeks ago. She sits night and day except occasionally gets some food or drink. There's the problem. Her nest box seems to be a favorite of many hens and they opportunistically hop in if the BR ever leaves. Today, I see eggs nearly overflowing from the box and lift her to find 24, probably more eggs! Poop! This isn't working out. What to do?

I'm inclined to throw out all but 6-7 eggs as waste since they would be partially 'grown.' Maybe I should just toss them all and forget letting her keep any...just collect them all every day again.

Is there a chance the hen and a few eggs could be portable? Could I move them to a pen I used for baby chicks and just let her sit on eggs on the floor? I'm not sure which eggs are weeks old and which are yesterdays, so maybe I should either start with new eggs or scrap the whole idea.

I've never had a hen hatch an egg. Figured I'd see what happened with this hen, but now I'm not sure what to do.

Thanks!
PC

 

[ebonykawai]

I don't have an answer for after the fact. I think most people mark the eggs when the hen starts sitting on them. That way you know which ones are interlopers.

I guess since she's almost done, you could just leave her to finish. I'd move her to a better location.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

You could candle them all and leave her with the ones that are at the same developmental level (and mark them!).