Eggs with different hatch dates??

[Sassy_Silkies]

I have a broody silkie setting on eggs right now. She started with 4 eggs and someone snuck an extra 3 eggs in her nest. At first I wasn't to concerned because I wasn't sure the eggs were fertile because my Roo is still young and half the size of my layers.They are definitely fertile and some of them you can see movement inside at least one egg. but now getting closer to hatch date I am a little worried the hatch dates might be to far off. How long will she set to hatch the other eggs if she has chicks that already hatched. She also had an egg rolled out from under her last night, it felt cold to touch. Do you think its dead?
I haven't ever hatched any chicks so any help is appreciated !!!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Hey I hatch under my Silky and they allow and handle well scattered dates

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

I think it should be fine. Think about it. A hen lays a few eggs, say 4 or 5, and then sets on it. Those initial 4 or 5 eggs will already have start the process of birth while more eggs are being deposited one by one a day apart..... which leave the very last egg about 10 days difference from the first one if the total clutch of eggs amount to 15. Nature has programmed the hen to sit there and try to hatch out the later ones, although if you have much more than 15 eggs or whatever, the possibility of her calling it quits to take care of the already born chicks will be higher than a lower count of eggs.

 

[JanetMarie]

I would candle all of the eggs and keep the ones that look to be the most developed and similar to each other. Mark the keepers with a sharpie on the large end of the egg, in case someone else lays an egg in the nest. Toss the others, unless you have an incubator or another broody to put them in/under to finish.

A broody hen will usually stay on the nest for 2 or 3 days after the last egg hatches.

I give my broody hens food and water the day before the eggs are scheduled to hatch, since once they start hatching she won't be able to take her daily break.

 

[Sassy_Silkies]

Thanks guys! I am feeling a little better now! Now how and when do I move her to the small coop and pen with the babies...

 

[cmom]

From my experiences, it also depends on how long she was sitting on the first 4 eggs. The birds will lay eggs for several days before they actually incubate them and when they hatch out they usually all hatch out within a couple of days. Good luck and have fun...

 

[JanetMarie]

I keep the mom and chicks with the flock, that way the chicks integrate with the flock, and you don't have to integrate them later.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I don't think anyone "snuck" eggs under her, more like she took eggs from someone My (4BO) girls have a huge plastic dog house for their nest, sometimes 2 - 3 will be in there laying & I find them all in one indentation I've had 5 Wyandottes lay in there at once but the eggs would be in one indentation.

I have read to separate the broody from the flock, then there are those that keep them in with the flock. If at all possible put a wire cage in the coop with broody & nest, that way she's part of the flock yet she has the extra help of protecting the chicks from the flock the first week.

 

[cmom]

I do have a brooder for the hen to sit on and hatch out her eggs in. I also have food and water in it so even the chicks can eat because I put chick starter in their feeder when they pip.

 

[Sassy_Silkies]

I keep the mom and chicks with the flock, that way the chicks integrate with the flock, and you don't have to integrate them later.

I thought about that but since my flock free ranges all day long and I don't have a space to keep the chicks from going through the dogs pen I would feel safer if they were with the flock but in a pen with smaller fence that babies cant get through