I know it's an icky task, but if you haven't done so already, you might want to open the eggs you culled, just to check your work and, hopefully, give you confidence in your judgment.
I would also re-check the eggs again in 4 or 5 days and see if there are any more you feel comfortable culling. At that time, I would recommend that you try to sort out those that look close to the same state in development. Give those similar looking eggs back to her and then figure out a plan for the other eggs. If you don't want to dispose them, maybe you can borrow, or make, an incubator? It know it is hard, but it may be necessary to avoid an even harder situation.
My biggest concern is that there are eggs at multiple stages of development, which means there is likely to a week or more lag between eggs hatching. That is a problem, because the hen will need to start caring for her young chicks after they are 2 or 3 days old. That puts the hen in a situation which she will either 1) abandon the unhatched eggs and start caring for her chicks; or 2) neglect the chicks as she sits glued to the nest waiting for her hatch to complete. In the second case, she is putting the survival of her hatched chicks and, indeed, herself at risk. It's a terrible situation to force on the hen.
If you want to leave them all under her, then be mindful that once you see chicks hatching, wait 2 or 3 days and then, if she is one of those who stays glued to the nest, remove her from the nest and either dispose of the unhatched eggs, or try to hatch them yourself in a incubator. Keep in mind that she is unlikely to accept any late hatchers after she is "off the nest" so you will have to set up a brooder for them (if any hatch).
I know this is not a problem of your making, so I commend you for trying to learn and make the best out of a hard situation.
I would also re-check the eggs again in 4 or 5 days and see if there are any more you feel comfortable culling. At that time, I would recommend that you try to sort out those that look close to the same state in development. Give those similar looking eggs back to her and then figure out a plan for the other eggs. If you don't want to dispose them, maybe you can borrow, or make, an incubator? It know it is hard, but it may be necessary to avoid an even harder situation.
My biggest concern is that there are eggs at multiple stages of development, which means there is likely to a week or more lag between eggs hatching. That is a problem, because the hen will need to start caring for her young chicks after they are 2 or 3 days old. That puts the hen in a situation which she will either 1) abandon the unhatched eggs and start caring for her chicks; or 2) neglect the chicks as she sits glued to the nest waiting for her hatch to complete. In the second case, she is putting the survival of her hatched chicks and, indeed, herself at risk. It's a terrible situation to force on the hen.
If you want to leave them all under her, then be mindful that once you see chicks hatching, wait 2 or 3 days and then, if she is one of those who stays glued to the nest, remove her from the nest and either dispose of the unhatched eggs, or try to hatch them yourself in a incubator. Keep in mind that she is unlikely to accept any late hatchers after she is "off the nest" so you will have to set up a brooder for them (if any hatch).
I know this is not a problem of your making, so I commend you for trying to learn and make the best out of a hard situation.
Poor thing. Can anyone tell me how far along he is?
