How long can I keep collecting eggs to put under a broody hen?

[eggcatcher]

I had my first successful hatch with a brood hen so feel I have a "little" experience. I want to put 10 under the next girl. I'm getting very few eggs. 2-4 a day. I've read I shouldn't use the eggs to put under the broody hen if I already refrigerated them. so I've started saving for 2 days and I only have 5 eggs. How many days can I collect eggs before I put them under my broody. I'm keeping them room temperature in a carton and waiting to put them all under her at once.
I made the mistake of putting some under the first broody hen one day and some the next. She attended to the ones that hatched and left the other eggs and then when the other one hatched she didn't recognize it as hers and pecked at it. Luckily she started settling down on the chicks she had and I slipped the wet just hatched chick under her for the night and the next morning they were all hers. So I want to put them all under the next hen at one time. Again my question. How long can I keep collecting eggs to put under her. At this rate it could take 2-3 more days to get enough eggs. That would have the first ones 5 days old but never refrigerated and assumed fertilized. Is that ok?

 

[RosieR]

I think 7-10 days is the most you will want to store them. If you can get a little cooler than room temperature (like a basement) they should stay fresh longer. Also prop one end of the carton up and rotate every day.
If you cool them in a basement it’s best to let them gradually warm to room temp over about 12 h before putting them under broody

 

[LCcreekside]

I had success with a staggered hatch (egg a day placed under broody hen over a week long period) by removing each chick to a brooder after it hatched. The hen hatched chicks out for over a week and set on 2 unhatched eggs for another week. In another case, after one chick hatched, the hen left the remaining eggs to look after the one chick. That's what led me to try the chick removal method that was so successful. Please post and let us know how your hatch turns out.

 

[eggcatcher]

I had my first successful hatch with a brood hen so feel I have a "little" experience. I want to put 10 under the next girl. I'm getting very few eggs. 2-4 a day. I've read I shouldn't use the eggs to put under the broody hen if I already refrigerated them. so I've started saving for 2 days and I only have 5 eggs. How many days can I collect eggs before I put them under my broody. I'm keeping them room temperature in a carton and waiting to put them all under her at once.
I made the mistake of putting some under the first broody hen one day and some the next. She attended to the ones that hatched and left the other eggs and then when the other one hatched she didn't recognize it as hers and pecked at it. Luckily she started settling down on the chicks she had and I slipped the wet just hatched chick under her for the night and the next morning they were all hers. So I want to put them all under the next hen at one time. Again my question. How long can I keep collecting eggs to put under her. At this rate it could take 2-3 more days to get enough eggs. That would have the first ones 5 days old but never refrigerated and assumed fertilized. Is that ok?

 

[eggcatcher]

I think I'm going to have enough eggs in 4 days total. Sounds like that should be fine. Trialing unquestionable broody hen on wood eggs tonight. Will put eggs under her tonight (planned). Hope all should be good.

 

[LCcreekside]

I think I'm going to have enough eggs in 4 days total. Sounds like that should be fine. Trialing unquestionable broody hen on wood eggs tonight. Will put eggs under her tonight (planned). Hope all should be good.

How did it go?

 

[aart]

I had success with a staggered hatch (egg a day placed under broody hen over a week long period) by removing each chick to a brooder after it hatched. The hen hatched chicks out for over a week and set on 2 unhatched eggs for another week. In another case, after one chick hatched, the hen left the remaining eggs to look after the one chick. That's what led me to try the chick removal method that was so successful. Please post and let us know how your hatch turns out.

Did you then give the chicks back to the broody or raise them in a brooder?

 

[LCcreekside]

Did you then give the chicks back to the broody or raise them in a brooder?

All raised in the brooder due to pens being chainlink fencing and didn't want to have them get away from broody. Otherwise, I'd have tried putting them all back when the last one hatched.

 

[aart]

All raised in the brooder due to pens being chainlink fencing and didn't want to have them get away from broody. Otherwise, I'd have tried putting them all back when the last one hatched.

Ah, well broody incubated and then brooder raised is fine for staggered hatches,
but not so good if one wants the broody to raise them.

I think I'm going to have enough eggs in 4 days total. Sounds like that should be fine. Trialing unquestionable broody hen on wood eggs tonight. Will put eggs under her tonight (planned). Hope all should be good.

I would let her set the wooden eggs until you have all fertile ready to go, then switch them out all at once..

 

[Cheetah Chicks]

I had success with a staggered hatch (egg a day placed under broody hen over a week long period) by removing each chick to a brooder after it hatched. The hen hatched chicks out for over a week and set on 2 unhatched eggs for another week. In another case, after one chick hatched, the hen left the remaining eggs to look after the one chick. That's what led me to try the chick removal method that was so successful. Please post and let us know how your hatch turns out.

I have only one day left for eggs to hatch . Shall i put them under a hen who is broody from few days?