Broody hen

[Mama_2017]

My first question is.. are these from 2 different hens?

My second question is.. when my hens eggs hatch and there’s still some unhatched should I wait a few days or move them to the incubator right after?

 

[OLDRanch]

I would say the eggs are from different hens. As for the hatching eggs I'm not too sure

 

[Ridgerunner]

My first question is.. are these from 2 different hens?

Based on color and shape, yes, two different chickens.

My second question is.. when my hens eggs hatch and there’s still some unhatched should I wait a few days or move them to the incubator right after?

Depends some on how you manage your broody hens. I wait until my hens take their chicks off of the nest before I do anything. Almost always I figure the hatch is over and just toss the eggs. If for some reason I thought more eggs could hatch I'd move them as soon as soon as she came off of the nest. Try not to let them cool off or dry out.

 

[Mama_2017]

Based on color and shape, yes, two different chickens.


Depends some on how you manage your broody hens. I wait until my hens take their chicks off of the nest before I do anything. Almost always I figure the hatch is over and just toss the eggs. If for some reason I thought more eggs could hatch I'd move them as soon as soon as she came off of the nest. Try not to let them cool off or dry out.

Does lavender Orpingtons lay blue eggs? Those are the only ones I’m waiting on to start laying.

I think the eggs will have different hatch dates because there’s new eggs there now.. it started off at 8 and now there’s 13.. I candled most of them and some look like chicks already and a few were just veins.. looked newly developed. This is my first year with a broody hen and I didn’t think to check everyday.. I didn’t want to stress her out.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Does lavender Orpingtons lay blue eggs? Those are the only ones I’m waiting on to start laying.

No. The lavender applies to the hens feather color, not eggshell color. She should lay a light brown egg.

I think the eggs will have different hatch dates because there’s new eggs there now.. it started off at 8 and now there’s 13.. I candled most of them and some look like chicks already and a few were just veins.. looked newly developed. This is my first year with a broody hen and I didn’t think to check everyday.. I didn’t want to stress her out.

You need to mark the eggs under her (I use a black Sharpie) so you know which ones belong and remove any others that show up. I check every day after the others have laid and take the new ones away. You can either lift her up enough to see under her or pick her up and set her on the coop floor. She may take advantage and eat, drink, and poop or she may immediately go back in the nest. In any case if she is really broody she will go back on the nest.

With those five new eggs you have what we call a staggered hatch. The hen will probably take the earlier hatching chicks off of the nest before the late ones hatch. She does not want the first ones to hatch to starve to death or die of thirst waiting on the later ones. That's going to be more stressful on you and her than if you check under her daily and remove any that don't belong.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Post a pic of your lavender Orp, could she be an EE? You sure the blue eggs are hers?