Hens partner brooding?

[TylerJ]

HI all,

New to chickens and BYC. Great information and have been reading religiously for about two months. I have a brooding hen that sits on the eggs all day/all night. About 10 days now. The odd thing is, when she gets up during the day to eat and drink, one of the other hens takes her place until she gets back to the nest. Just a curious observation and wondered if it is normal.

Thanks.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

It is normal. And normally, they climb in there to deposit an egg in hopes it'll be hatched. Have you marked the eggs you want to hatch and have you been removing any extras (or, eggtras, har har). If not, it may be a good idea to start doing so.

 

[TylerJ]

I haven't marked them. There are 10 in there now and definitely not all from the Hen that is sitting. I will mark them tonight. Thank you for the advice.