I have a broody sitting on six eggs, that have been there for about 5 days. I marked all the original eggs I set under her. I really didn't plan to hatch more chicks as I literally JUST hatched 21 chicks, which is almost my maximum for my set up. However, my white Cochin hen went extremely broody. It's her first time going broody, and I really want to praise this behavior, so I put 6 eggs under her. Now, the problem! My other hens keep dropping extra eggs in with her! I try and check on her as much as possible and attempt to remove the extra unmarked eggs, but by the time I find them the embryos have already started to form!!! So far I have disposed of 4, 1 day old embryos and 1, 2 day old embryo. I hate myself for it! I'm so saddened but I can't have her hatch more than 6 eggs! How can I keep the other hens from dropping extra eggs in her nest?
Either move her to an area that the other hens can not access or make her present nest site inaccessible to the rest of the flock.
