Broody hen - unknown due date with 3 small eggs...

[littlechickenmama17]

So, a few weeks ago ( I think ) my Buff orp hen went broody. It surprised me because she had just started laying about 2 months before, so I waited 3 days and she still was broody and only getting out once a day for a/b 3 min. I was still researching about broody hens and it didn't dawn on me that she was sitting on pretty small eggs, since she was starting to lay. Sadly, I don't know the date she started setting, but i've heard that small eggs won't hatch chicks. Is that true? It's been more than 2 weeks, I know, but do I sack those eggs she has underneath her and give her big eggs from older hens, or break her???? HELP!!!

 

[FuzzyOwlFeet]

Do you have a rooster that has been breeding her?
If you have a small, bright flashlight you can "candle" the eggs to see if there is any development. Go into a dark room and hold a flashlight to the fat end of the egg, you would see veins if it had an embryo inside.

If an egg has been fertilized, any can form an embryo. Small eggs, large eggs, and misshapen eggs can cause hatching issues though and isn't recommended to incubate.
If you're wanting her to hatch babies I would encourage you to use the older hen's eggs.

 

[aart]

Candle the eggs under her now to see if they are developing.
Then you can make the next decision.

 

[littlechickenmama17]

Great but because she has been sitting on them for so long, I can just switch in big eggs, but would it be healthy for her - giving her 3 weeks more I mean...

 

[aart]

Great but because she has been sitting on them for so long

How long exactly?
Did you candle the eggs?

but would it be healthy for her - giving her 3 weeks more I mean

No, it would not be healthy, IMO.

 

[littlechickenmama17]

I'll candle them tonight

So again, should I break her if the eggs are dead? Or put big eggs underneath her for 3 more weeks???

 

[FuzzyOwlFeet]

I'll candle them tonight

So again, should I break her if the eggs are dead? Or put big eggs underneath her for 3 more weeks???

If the eggs are dead or unfertilized, I personally, would break her.
You can always hatch eggs another time if she goes broody again.

 

[Ridgerunner]

i've heard that small eggs won't hatch chicks. Is that true?

For an egg to hatch everything as to be pretty close to perfect. Some pullets don't get everything just right when their internal egg making factory first cranks up. Some of that you can see, some you can't. That's why you can sometimes get some really weird looking eggs when pullets first start laying. But many do get it right. When a pullet first starts to lay her eggs can be really small for what she will eventually lay so any chick that hatches will be pretty small.

I hatch pullet eggs. Sometimes my hatch rate isn't good, sometimes it's fabulous. I find that if I wait about a month after she starts to lay to set her eggs the size is a lot less important. It is not true that a smaller pullet egg will not hatch, some will and the chicks do great. But you can get more disappointment with the first pullet eggs than if you wait a while.

It's been more than 2 weeks, I know, but do I sack those eggs she has underneath her and give her big eggs from older hens, or break her???? HELP!!!

Before a pullet or hen even starts laying she builds up excess fat. This fat is what she mostly lives off of while she is broody so she can spend her time incubating eggs instead of being out searching for food. A broody hen will lose weight while incubating her eggs but no big deal, it's fat put there for that reason. Different hens put on different amounts of fat and use it at different rates. I don't know how long your pullet can go before she runs out of fat, it will be longer than 3 weeks. Chickens can go long enough to hatch turkey or duck eggs which take longer than chicken eggs.

I use a rule that if they will hatch within 5 weeks of the hen first going broody I will give her eggs. I consider that very safe. If you want to give yours new eggs to start she will probably be OK but I would not. My five weeks rule is an artificial arbitrary deadline, not an absolute law of nature. I consider it extremely safe.

Here's hoping the eggs she is in now hatch so thigs are good with you.

 

[littlechickenmama17]

OK I've chose to break her and she is in an open pen off the ground to snap her out of it. Thanks yall!!!!

 

[aart]

OK I've chose to break her and she is in an open pen off the ground to snap her out of it. Thanks yall!!!!

The eggs were not developing?