Broody hen doesn't always sit on all eggs - normal?

[lsv313]

My first experience with a broody hen. She is sitting on duck eggs right now - this is her 3rd day. Sometimes when I check on her, she will have an egg off to the side - other times she's sitting on all of them. Should I be concerned, or is this normal behavior? I am worried about the egg not hatching if it is out too long

Has anyone had experience with this?

 

[SilkieChickenLover336]

its propbablt because it isnt fertile

 

[jenlynn4]

the birds will push out the bad eggs! I dont know how they know what is going on in there, but they DO seem to know. JEN

 

[lsv313]

I was wondering about that too, but then my husband asked "then why was she sitting on plastic eggs (that we keep in their laying boxes) before we gave her the fertile eggs?"

(we don't have a rooster, so when she went broody we got some fertilized duck eggs.)