Broody Hen Laying on Eggs of Different Ages

[jlacosse]

We are new chicken owners and our broody Silkie hen, Larry Bird, was laying on only one of her actual eggs. Our other hen, Sunny, had just started laying eggs about a week and a half after Larry became broody and unbeknownst to us Larry had been snatching Sunny's eggs and laying on them. Larry's first chick hatched a week ago and is doing well, but Larry is still laying on 4 other eggs that have yet to hatch. We have candled the eggs and they all seem viable but clearly at different development stages. We want Larry to remain healthy and not be broody for too long as it's been well over 21 days. We have learned our lesson to mark the eggs in the future so this doesn't happen again. I would love some suggestions of what we should do? Allow Larry to lay on the eggs for a bit longer, or??? Thanks in advance for your assistance.

 

[sloanbychoice]

If she’s still cooperating, I’d let her sit for a bit longer. Just need to make sure she gets up once in a while to eat and drink.
Is she showing the other chick how to manage?

 

[jlacosse]

If she’s still cooperating, I’d let her sit for a bit longer. Just need to make sure she gets up once in a while to eat and drink.
Is she showing the other chick how to manage?

She is doing well and is being a great momma to the chick.

 

[jlacosse]

She is doing well and is being a great momma to the chick.

Thanks for the quick response!

 

[humblehillsfarm]

That’s a tough one. Most of the time broody moms start to get off the nest around 3-5 days or so after the first one hatches. Do you have access to an incubator? Or feel up to making a DIY incubator in case she gets up? Every chicken is different, so maybe she will stay around.

 

[sloanbychoice]

She is doing well and is being a great momma to the chick.

That’s good!!
Hopefully the others are only a week away so she won’t have to sit too long.