Broody hen hatching first clutch of eggs.

[jabou29]

I have a Bantam Cochin hen who went broody on Dec 30-31. She’s been sitting on 4eggs. We didn’t want much chicks as we already incubated 23 eggs 21days before and hatched out 18 chicks but only one of these eggs belongs to her and the rest to our other bantams. The problem is we don’t know the exact date the other ladies laid their eggs in her box. I know the date she laid hers which is the one who is currently starting the pipping process but will the others hatch at different dates if they where laid a couple of days later? I’m super new with letting my hens hatch out their own eggs. Last year we had one our Wyandottes go broody and we gave her fertile eggs to hatch but only one hatched. So I’m unsure that these little cochins will hatch at different dates

 

[DobieLover]

I know the date she laid hers which is the one who is currently starting the pipping process but will the others hatch at different dates if they where laid a couple of days later?

Yes and she may very well abandon the nest because of this.
In nature, a chicken would find a place to make her nest and lay an egg in it then leave and go back to the flock. She would continue to do this until her clutch was the size she wanted and THEN she would set them all at the same time. No one would be depositing eggs in her nest that weren't hers. So when the hatch begins, all the eggs should have developed at roughly the same rate and would then hatch typically within 24 hours of each other. She would likely sit tight for another day or 2 for a late hatcher but that's usually it.
A one day difference in age for chicks under a broody is a big deal if she gets up and starts raising the chicks. And she could do this if an egg is pipped or not.
You should be prepared to deal with any viable eggs that she might abandon.

 

[SueT]

Some hens will wait a couple more days if the others haven’t hatched. At that point I would remove them so that she takes the hatched babies out to eat and drink.

 

[jabou29]

Some hens will wait a couple more days if the others haven’t hatched. At that point I would remove them so that she takes the hatched babies out to eat and drink.

Ok, thank you

 

[jabou29]

Yes and she may very well abandon the nest because of this.
In nature, a chicken would find a place to make her nest and lay an egg in it then leave and go back to the flock. She would continue to do this until her clutch was the size she wanted and THEN she would set them all at the same time. No one would be depositing eggs in her nest that weren't hers. So when the hatch begins, all the eggs should have developed at roughly the same rate and would then hatch typically within 24 hours of each other. She would likely sit tight for another day or 2 for a late hatcher but that's usually it.
A one day difference in age for chicks under a broody is a big deal if she gets up and starts raising the chicks. And she could do this if an egg is pipped or not.
You should be prepared to deal with any viable eggs that she might abandon.

Ok thank you