broody hen help

[eddieandtelisa]

I need some help. I have a broody hen who has been laying on her eggs for 5 days and tonight we moved her off of then just to see how many eggs are under her and to put 4 more eggs. She was pretty upset and now she has just been looking at them but has not sat back on them. It's been 2 hours and I'm starting to worry. Please help. Do i remove the newly added eggs?

 

[drumstick diva]

Broodies hate to be disturbed. Sitting for 5 days she may have not been fully committed to being broody, adding eggs later would increase the length of time till hatching(for them). Broodies may leave a nest with eggs unhatched to care for the first chicks that did. If you do add eggs, you try to add either at night or when the broody is away eating etc.

If you put too many eggs under her she may not be able to cover them all. If you move her, she may not return to nest either. If she leaves the eggs unattended for too long they will get chilled and may not hatch at all.

 

[Paws7297]

the eggs that she first sat one or recent eggs put a mark on them so you can move the ones without a mark from her and keep the ones with a mark there. so therefor the ones that could be fertilised will be the ones that have been sat on for a few weeks. This means you may have a chance of having little chick buddiese

 

[sunflour]

glad you joined us.

I have no experience hatching eggs although have dealt with broody BO's. They are quite fickle when broody and even small changes really upset them.

You have been given the advice of experience already. Good luck in salvaging a hatch.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[nj2wv]

Welcome to BYC !!