I know it's a bad picture but wondering if someone could tell me if this is a fertile egg? If it is, does one of my hens need to be laying on the eggs all the time. Every time I go into the coop they aren't on the eggs.
When a hen sits on the eggs they are called Broody Hens. Yes, if the eggs are fertile, and you end up with one hen, or more, deciding they want to hatch out some chicks, they will "go Broody" and sit on the eggs. It takes 21 days to hatch a live chick. They will start what is called a "clutch" of eggs, if they decide to go broody, and the eggs will hatch out over a period of a few days. As chickens like to lay in the same nest box, the broody will, most likely, be hatching not only her eggs, but some of the other hens' eggs. It's also best to move the broody hen to a place where the other hens won't bother her or the chicks when they hatch. Preferably right in the same coop, but some type of setup that would keep the other hens and roosters away from the little family to be...it would be harder to reintroduce the "family" if you remove them entirely from the coop. Most broody hens will have no trouble hatching and raising her chicks, right in the coop with the other chickens, just keep an eye on them to make sure there are no problems. A broody will sit on the eggs and refuse to get off them...even pecking at YOU, if you try to take her eggs! That is all completely natural! There is really no way to "make" them go broody though. That is something each hen will decide, on her own. Some people collect fertile eggs and incubate them, if they don't have broody hens. The hatchery chickens tend to have that broodiness bred out of them, but you could still end up with one or more broody hens. Some breeds of chickens are more prone to go broody also. You can also eat fertile eggs BUT, I would put them in the fridge right away, after collected, especially in the summer at high temps! Broody hens will hatch, and if they are good mothers, raise that clutch also! If they are new mom's, you should watch the hen to make sure she IS a good mom and not hurting, killing, or abandoning the chicks. If she does, you would have to brood them. Hope this helps??? and hope one of your hens goes broody for you, if that's what you want!
