hatching eggs:

[Progerson]

I have 55 chickens in my flock: mixed hens and roosters, big and small, many breeds. They are laying 20 eggs per day. If I just leave the eggs in the nest will one or more of the hens set on them? How long should I wait for this to happen? Or, should I bring them in the house till one of the hens goes broody? Help!

 

[juliechick]

I would not leave all the eggs. They will go broody when they feel like it, if they are a breed that goes broody. I would leave some ceramic or wooden eggs in the nests. My hens that go broody always do it whether eggs are there or not, They will sit on empty nests sometimes.

 

[WVJeanne]

I wouldn't leave a hen in a nest that other hen's have access to. They will squeeze in with her, lay an egg and leave. The next thing you know, the hen is sitting on 20 eggs and cannot cover them all, so some get too cool. Not to mention that the eggs should be the same age, because within less than a day of the first chick hatching, the hen leaves the nest with the chicks and any eggs that are not ready to hatch will get too cold and die.

 

[Progerson]

EXCELLENT advice, WVJeanne. I will work on managing that right away. I brought the eggs in the house and will prepare a smaller coop for the "birthing room". By the way, I am originally from West Virginia too...Moundsville. Been in Maryland, suburb of DC for maaaannnny years now and just started chickening last Spring. I need all the help I can get. Thanks for yours.