Can someone explain the process?

[nuthatched]

Yes I’ve had many of hens go broody with no roo! I’m happy this year I finally have one for my gals. It was a happy accident! TSC gave me a pullet that ended up not lol

But if she doesn’t go broody until 3 or so eggs, if she even goes broody at all, how will the first 3 or so eggs survive without a constant heat source? I’m not planning on incubating. (If it happens it happens!)

Also, how come it’s important to not let other hens add to the clutch as sourland mentioned above?

Even after 3 eggs, a hen m8ght m9t go broody, as you can't really make a hen go broody, it's a hormone thing.

 

[CalliBee]

Oh wow! I just assumed if it was fertile it had to be taken care of the moment it was laid!
Ok so, last question (I hope)
In the past, without a roo, my hens would just go broody at times, even if I collected my eggs daily. How can I prevent from having a staggered hatch if I collect eggs daily? I don’t plan on trying for any baby chicks but I’m happy to see it happen if it does. I had just planned on when my hen went broody I would leave her eggs be. But if she goes broody with only 1 egg, then would it not become a staggered hatch?
Could I take maybe some other eggs from another hen in hopes that they are also fertile? I have 11 hens and 1 roo

 

[nuthatched]

Oh wow! I just assumed if it was fertile it had to be taken care of the moment it was laid!
Ok so, last question (I hope)
In the past, without a roo, my hens would just go broody at times, even if I collected my eggs daily. How can I prevent from having a staggered hatch if I collect eggs daily? I don’t plan on trying for any baby chicks but I’m happy to see it happen if it does. I had just planned on when my hen went broody I would leave her eggs be. But if she goes broody with only 1 egg, then would it not become a staggered hatch?
Could I take maybe some other eggs from another hen in hopes that they are also fertile? I have 11 hens and 1 roo

You can add as many eggs as your hen can handle, usually about 10, Mark them with a marker so you don't take them by accident and gather the ones without a mark.

 

[CalliBee]

I live in the south where we get 100+ degree weather some days. Inside of the coop gets even hotter midday. Will this start the incubation process on my eggs even without a hen laying?

 

[nuthatched]

I live in the south where we get 100+ degree weather some days. Inside of the coop gets even hotter midday. Will this start the incubation process on my eggs even without a hen laying?

It might if they sit there for a day or so

 

[Battlepants]

I live in the south where we get 100+ degree weather some days. Inside of the coop gets even hotter midday. Will this start the incubation process on my eggs even without a hen laying?

A hen runs about 105 body temp, so yea, technically your summer heat would be a brooder in that sense. Now, if you gather eggs every day, they will still be very much edible and will not have any noticeable development.

 

[CalliBee]

Thanks everyone! Sheesh who knew hatching eggs was so complicated even if I let my hen do all the work lol

 

[50-45-1]

Eggs will not start to incubate until a hen starts to sit on them in ernest.
please dont just leave eggs in your nests in hope of a broody hen
that's a good way to end up with rotten eggs and broken eggs in the nest box.
Please read some of the articles about eggs and broodies on this site.
Here is the one I wrote. GUIDE TO THE SELECTION, STORAGE AND HANDLING OF CHICKEN HATCHING EGGS

 

[Battlepants]

Something that might also be worth considering is making a specialized "broody box" - effectively a nest box that requires a 4+ inch hop to leave. The purpose of this is that chicks are adventurous, but not quite smart or agile. If they fall out of a raised box, they won't have the hop to get back into the nest box. Additionally, they likely won't be able to do ramps. So it is kinda best to trap them in the nest as best as possible while making sure momma can leave to drop her broody poops elsewhere.

For this, I actually barricaded the front of my coop with a wide plank so momma (and the previous hatch) could hop up and out, but the babies were trapped in the coop. Left this for about a week or so until I was confident that they could handle the ramp.

 

[CalliBee]

Eggs will not start to incubate until a hen starts to sit on them in ernest.
please dont just leave eggs in your nests in hope of a broody hen
that's a good way to end up with rotten eggs and broken eggs in the nest box.
Please read some of the articles about eggs and broodies on this site.
Here is the one I wrote. GUIDE TO THE SELECTION, STORAGE AND HANDLING OF CHICKEN HATCHING EGGS

I’m not planning on encouraging my hens to brood. As exciting as it would be see baby chicks hatching, I only want it to happen if it’s meant to be. As of right now, I’m planning on removing my eggs daily and if a hen so happens to become broody, I won’t mind slipping her a few eggs to tend to.