Help! The wrong eggs!

[Cryss]

I’ve been carefully watching for a broody because I’ve hoped to hatch a few more this year. This happened today.

I returned about an hour later and saw Doris in the run. Sooo…

Now what? She has 10 eggs. I like about six. I can tell she’s collected at least a weeks worth. This is the first day I’ve seen her on the nest. Can I remove 4 and replace them with 4 others I’ve hoped for? Is there too much danger of them hatching at very different times?

 

[sourland]

I'd candle the eggs (or break one and observe) to see if there is evident development. If she has just started setting, you could add the eggs that you want.

 

[Cryss]

I’ve seen evidence of fertilization in recent meals. Last year ( my first time experiencing/allowing hatching) I tried candling. My eggs aren’t white and many are Marans so it was almost futile. I even did a video of candling about 2 or so weeks in and was advised to toss a few that were “definitely dead”. I’m a rebel I kept them. Each dead egg hatched. So for this reason I’m not so sure I want to try candling. I am however going to see if I can swap out a couple of eggs. Do you think she’ll get upset if I add an egg or…2? I have a small coop set up for her with her own run and everything I’m considering not moving her there, letting her stay where she is. Decisions, decisions! I want to move quickly though. Thoughts anyone?

 

[Penpal]

they are such different colors. Do you think they are all Doris's?

 

[Zoologist]

they are such different colors. Do you think they are all Doris's?

I know right, she’s probably been stealing other chickens eggs

 

[Cryss]

they are such different colors. Do you think they are all Doris's?

Oh certainly not. Chickens don’t only hatch their own. Usually everyone tries to lay in the same nest. Then if a hen goes broody she will sit on everyone’s eggs and hatch them all. I just had Doris go broody so I guess they elected her. After all, she did a beautiful job last year for them. I have certain eggs I’d love to hatch so I just did a bit of sneakiness. I swapped out a few.

 

[Cryss]

they are such different colors. Do you think they are all Doris's?

Oh! And each hen will only ever lay one color egg. They may fade as the season progresses but they’ll be the same color. Makes it easy to know who’s egg is whose.

 

[Penpal]

Yea, that was my point. If you know each girl's egg color you'll know what's being hatched. You don't want any of them?

 

[Cryss]

Yea, that was my point. If you know each girl's egg color you'll know what's being hatched. You don't want any of them?

Oh yes, I do want them. But 6 of the original ones in the nest were from one hen and that’s more than 50%. I left Two of those eggs in the nest and replaced the other 4 with eggs from a couple of other hens one of which always lays jumbo eggs. I added a couple other hens eggs to that because I only have one Wyandotte now and am hopeful for a pullet from her before she gets too old.