Err.. Community Nest?

[The Keeper]

We have a bunch of chickens, among other birds in our backyard. It's a blast to have 'em all in there. There's three ducks, three guineas, two turkeys, and somewhere around 12 chickens. They all get along and whatnot.

They've started laying eggs in the past two or three months.

First we would find them randomly in the coop and yard. Eventually just the coop. Then recently, they started sharing a nest.

With this past week, one of my silver phoenix seems to have gone broody, and has started laying on a nest.

But oddly enough, like.. everyone lays their eggs in the same nest. There were 20 eggs in there yesterday. I imagine there's more now... but then the phoenix apparently lost interest and left the nest. Next thing I know, her sister phoenix took over and was laying on it today.

Long story here. XD

Then the first one got in the wrong half of the yard, was attacked by a dog, but is still alive. We put her back in the coop, and when I checked on her again, she was sharing the nest with her sister.

SO.

I have two silver phoenix sharing a nest. One is a little injured, but isn't dead or anything. There's gotta be around 25 eggs in the nest now.

Is this weird? Abnormal? Should I candle the eggs or something and throw out dead ones? I doubt they're all fertile and developing. And dang, that's a looot of eggs. The nest is huge. xD

Any opinions or tips would be appreciated!

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Do you not collect the eggs for eating?....not sure if silver phoenix are known to go broody, if so someone else will chime in ....they may be just setting long enough to lay another egg...

Your going to have exploding eggs or rottening ones if you have not dated them...then you have to worry about having a place for her to hatch this clutch of eggs...a nest of her own away from all the others...they will break them and or harm the chicks if they get that far along...a wire cage set up just for her to hatch them with food and water for her for the next 21 days...

 

[Frozen Feathers]

Phoenix will go broody. They are great moms.

25 eggs is a bit much.
Hens will brood together, but really you should separate whichever hen you think is the most broody and some of the eggs. the other hens will continue to lay in the nest (and possibly kick out the broody girl) and it'll just get really confusing.

Mine all lay their eggs in the same nest,

makes me wonder why I didn't just build the one. they'd probably lay on the floor if I had only one nest, though.

 

[Poison Ivy]

You need to mark the ones you want to keep and then pull the rest of the eggs and check daily and remove the newly laid eggs. Then candle in 10 to see which ones are growing and remove the clear ones. I would also move them to a separate area so they won't be bothered by the other birds trying to lay eggs in their nest. Good luck

 

[The Keeper]

Thanks for the insight!

We do check them daily, often more than once, we don't really eat the eggs. We often just feed them back to the chickens. It sure is an odd site, but they love the things. But then again, they haven't been laying for too long. We'll probably start eating them soon as they become more regular.

Well the Phoenix is still on the nest. I officially think she's gone broody now. Even though she's not too fond of me getting close, I think I'll pull out some of the ones we don't want. It should make it easier for her.

The injured Phoenix actually made it through the night. We were very surprised. She's still chillin' in the coop, but she is alive and didn't have much protest to me checking her over this morning.

And the others have begun laying eggs in other parts of the coop.

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