"Broody" girl laying eggs??

[blessedchick]

I have a Showgirl hen that has been laying for about 3 months, decide to go broody on one lonely egg. She has all of the classic broody hen signs, so I moved her over to the egg-ternity ward where she is alone except for her mate. She was definitely on total lockdown for 6 days. On the 7th day I was scratching her back (I think it's cute when she "purrs" and lifts her fluffy butt to be scratched) when she shifted her weight and I saw THREE eggs under her! There are no other hens with her and she really is not leaving that nestbox at all since I moved her food and water to where she can reach it. What becomes of these miscellaneous eggs? Is this just because this is her first experience with being broody? Any info would be awesome!

 

[Den in Penn]

Interesting. They usually stop laying when they decide to stay on the nest. Being new she may have started to brood before she was finished laying. You probably didn't mark the lone egg you move with her, so no way of knowing which it is. My thought is to leave them since you don't know if the others were laid the next two days or not. She may sit long enough for them to hatch. It would be a staggered hatch but they have done them. Being a new broody who knows shat she'll do. Good luck.

 

[moomoodiddy]

make sure that she allows the first bittie to eat and drink while she waits for the others or she might leave them after the firrst hatches

 

[blessedchick]

Thank you for the info and support! No, unfortunately I didn't mark that first egg since I thought it was going to be the only one. She is still hanging tight...she didn't move from the nest while I was with her so I don't know if she has even MORE under her...jiminy!

I will certainly be hovering over her when her hatch date approaches to make sure that those chickies eat and drink. Hopefully the hatch dates won't be too spread out ~ I'll check under her tonight to see if she has more eggs...