Broody Hen, Sitting For Too Long???

[kysilkies]

We have 2 hens that got broody when we integrated our ducks in the coop, both have been sitting on ONE egg each(after laying almost 1 a day for 3 weeks each)...It's been over 21 days and there's no lil chicks, just eggs still...Should we remove the eggs so the hens start laying again or at least just get up and back to normal?!?!...These are our first broody anything, thank you in advance!

 

[speckledhen]

If they haven't hatched in a day or two, I'd remove them and candle to see if they are still viable. The girls go through alot not eating or drinking much or exercising for that long, so I don't like my girls to set any longer than necessary.

 

[Eagle2026]

After candling if you see that there not fertile whether you remove them or not it's up to the hen on what she wants to do.
I had a hen sit for over 30 days and I pulled the eggs she was sitting on and put new under her and she still sat untill THEY hatched.
So inevitably it's up to her on what happens, best to try to let them hatch something.
After a hen goes broody, I have found that weather they hatch a clutch or not they still won't lay for month or two.
Take into consideration that all hens are "alittle" different.
Mike