First time hatching eggs from hens

[Jamie Lundy]

Hey Chicken experts, I have had my Easter Eggers for almost a year. 4 hens and 3 roosters.
My hens have all started laying in same nest box through the day taking turns and I have NOT removed 7 eggs now over 24 hour period of time. I need more hens and want to expand flock naturally as mine are all free range but say near coop all day. Will eggs be okay if incubation doesn’t occur a few nights? Temps are between 45-55 F in my are. My roosters are even trying to broody eggs now too. I have dated eggs today and will remove extra. I don’t know what else I should do at this point to ensure healthy chicks? I need all information I can get please.

 

[chuckachucka]

Are you expecting one of your hens to go broody soon? Or do you plan on machine incubating them?

 

[Jamie Lundy]

Are you expecting one of your hens to go broody soon? Or do you plan on machine incubating them?

Hens broody since I stopped collecting eggs but not sure how long time frames they must sit because mine love to eat.

 

[chuckachucka]

It's fine to leave eggs you intent to hatch in the nest for up to two weeks, but it's best to hatch eggs fresher than one week old. It doesn't matter if the eggs are sat on for short times each day by other hens laying on top of them, as incubation doesn't start until the eggs are at the correct temperature (99.5°f) for more than twelve hours.

You can wai t until you have as many eggs as you want to hatch then give them to a broody hen to incubate. However most people remove the eggs they intend to hatch until they have the whole batch ready, storing them away from the chickens to prevent dirt or damage to the eggs.

The hen should then sit on them all day and night apart from one break each day.

 

[Jamie Lundy]

It's fine to leave eggs you intent to hatch in the nest for up to two weeks, but it's best to hatch eggs fresher than one week old. It doesn't matter if the eggs are sat on for short times each day by other hens laying on top of them, as incubation doesn't start until the eggs are at the correct temperature (99.5°f) for more than twelve hours.

You can wai t until you have as many eggs as you want to hatch then give them to a broody hen to incubate. However most people remove the eggs they intend to hatch until they have the whole batch ready, storing them away from the chickens to prevent dirt or damage to the eggs.

The hen should then sit on them all day and night apart from one break each day.

Thanks so much