hen sitting eggs another laying eggs on top of her.

[buddy18]

Hi, I have a hen who went broody and laid one egg of her own. I had the next day another hen lay a egg on top of her which she moved under her. Then I saw another hen laying eggs on top of her, I have no idea how many day in between they are. When Mamma was off her nest there now was 5 eggs. Question is, will she wait for the rest of the eggs to hatch. We had one chick yesterday (exactly 21 days). If she does get off the nest with chick or chicks and still of couple eggs left, should I take them, I have a cage with a heat lamp, which we used when we bought a couple of chicks. And, if I do try and hatch them and they hatch, can I try and put them under her?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Staggered hatches are a bad idea. A hen will leave the nest on the second day after the first hatches, and the rest will be abandoned. I would not allow it to go on. Hens will continue to add eggs to the nest and it will become a mess.

All eggs need to be set on the same day. She needs to be fenced off or eggs should be marked and extras removed daily. At this point I might start over.

 

[buddy18]

Staggered hatches are a bad idea. A hen will leave the nest on the second day after the first hatches, and the rest will be abandoned. I would not allow it to go on. Hens will continue to add eggs to the nest and it will become a mess.

All eggs need to be set on the same day. She needs to be fenced off or eggs should be marked and extras removed daily. At this point I might start over.

 

[buddy18]

Just checked on her and she has two chicks. One was up out of the nest and the other looks like it new today. I don't when the third was laid, but with the chick out I would imagine she will be taking them out. My chickens are free range and her nest is in the barn between 2 bales of hay. Should I take the egg that are left? Do you think if they are born in a day or two that she will accept them? She's a good mamma, I thought I could put them in when their asleep.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Didn't know she was that close to hatching. I would wait and see what she does. Sometimes a hen will hang around the nest, especially if you put food and water within reach. If you want her to continue to set than removing chicks as they hatch will keep her setting. She may or may not accept them back. If it's only a day or two she should but longer she may not.

 

[buddy18]

Believe me, you do not want to reach into that nest, grrrrr and peck is what you will get! If she leaves the nest, I think I will see if I can hatch the eggs and if I have to hand raise them. If she doesn't want them back will she kill them? I guess set them next to her and if she lets them under wing, great and if not snatch them up with some heavy leather gloves.