Hen laying on eggs. *newbie*

[shanen544]

We have 5 chickens 1 bantham rooster 1bantham hen and 3 egg hens pullets. 1 of the pullets is laying on her eggs today they were not there yesterday she made her own nest out of the hay, she has left a few time to free range with the others for a few minutes but go right back. Anything I need to know? Will she lay more before these hatch? Will they hatch together? When should I seperate her and the offspring? We already had to take the silky chicken out because they were going to kill her and they have all been together since chicks. Thanks!

 

[junebuggena]

Maybe move her and her nest into a dog crate in the coop. That way the other birds can't bother her. A clutch larger than 8 eggs can be difficult for a hen to keep covered. Mark her current eggs and remove any that get added to help ensure they all hatch at around the same time. You don't need to remove the chicks from her once they hatch. A good mother will protect her chicks from being picked on by the flock and the flock more readily accepts chicks that are raised by broodies.

 

[shanen544]

So just go out and take any under her that I don't mark, will they be fertilized eggs or only the 5 she has now are fertilized?

 

[junebuggena]

Do you have a rooster? They will only be fertile if you have a rooster.

 

[shortgrass]

Are you sure these are HER eggs? If they weren't there yesterday..and you have 5 eggs...and 4 laying hens?...are all the eggs the same shape, color, etc?... Sounds like one from each hen

I'm sorry lol I'm confused... Do you have just ONE hen and 3 PULLETS, and a PULLET is setting?

 

[shanen544]

I'm still learning all the terms lol ill post pics we have one rooster and 4 hens one is a bantam so its not hers one hen has been laying on the eggs all day she gets up for a few minutes then goes and lays again this is the first time they actually laid in the coup they free range and refuse to use their nesting boxes.

 

[shortgrass]

Oh ok lol, gotcha was just making sure it wasn't a pullet just struggling with the first egg

 

[shanen544]

Oh no they have all been laying for about 5 weeks

 

[shanen544]

My friend just informed me that just because she sitting on them doesn't mean there will be chicks

I have all of learning to do.

 

[junebuggena]

If you have a rooster, it's a safe bet that all eggs laid by any hen are fertile. The point of removing eggs that are added to the clutch from this time on, is so that you don't have three eggs hatch and four or five with another week of incubation left to go. A day or two after the first one hatches, the hen abandons the nest to take care of the hatched chicks. She can't sit on eggs and take care of little ones.