Brooding Hen Behavior Change

[jwankowski]

Hello You All, I have an older hen who decided to sit on a clutch of 12 eggs apparently to hatch them. She sat on them for about 7 days then moved to a nest with 3 eggs and started sitting again. Is this normal? I have a rooster and I know some eggs are probably fertilized. I candled the 12 eggs she originally was sitting on and say no evidence of internal development. Should I standby and see what happens or is there an issue with the hen?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

If she was sitting for a full 7 days and none of the 12 developed that's probably why she moved to a new nest. Hens can sense dead eggs.

 

[jwankowski]

Thanks. That's what I was thinking but I wanted to be sure.