How did my hen manage to hatch her eggs?

[JadeFarms]

Just wondering if you only have two colors of eggs, because each hen lays a specific color. I can always tell which egg came from which chicken and I have a nine of them.I would say that if you have more than two different tints of eggs then somebody is pulling a prank. Have any of your friends or family ever owned chickens? Usually people that have never own chickens do not know about the whole brooding process. It could be some weird kind of miracle on the other hand.

Yea that’s a great question! I didn’t even think to ask that.

 

[Johannanoel]

Just curious, why did you let her set on eggs for that long? She was obviously broody and in the nest box? And you never collected eggs? Or did she have a hidden nest in the bushes somewhere? I have a question for the experts. If she started a nest in an unknown location, how long could those eggs sit before she decided to set on them?

 

[Dollyparthen]

If a hen can change sex (and back again as one lady's has done here), is it within the realm of possibility that she somehow fertilized herself?

 

[Marinefam2053]

And we now have entered into the twilight zone.....

 

[aart]

If a hen can change sex (and back again as one lady's has done here), is it within the realm of possibility that she somehow fertilized herself?

No.
Birds don't actually "change sex".
They may change plumage and behaviors due to damaged ovary(they only have one) ,
which changes their hormone balances, but a hen showing male attributes will never have testicles.

 

[Finnie]

I'm thinking OP is pulling y'all's leg here but if I'm wrong, interesting thread!

This is my thought as well.

Other possibility is that “like 6 months”, being a guestimate of time, might only be 2-3 months. Then if you consider there could have been a few eggs hidden/unnoticed and uncollected for a few weeks in the cooler weather this time of year, then we are looking at a more feasible time frame.

 

[wigs]

Still waiting on the answer as to why let the chicken sit on unfertilized eggs for 21 days? Even a hidden nest requires the chicken to sit on them. If you only have 2 birds then how would you not notice? This is a prank. But...a good one

 

[Silky45]

The other chicken is definitely a hen and no we dont have neighbours with chickens. These are the only two hens we have and the brown goldish hen (Amercauna?) is the one who hatched these two chicks
View attachment 2387271

 

[donpowell]

Is the hen in question named Mary by any chance?

 

[The Happster]

You need to rename the momma hen Mary

I just choked.