How long is to long for an egg????

[denco5]

I have three broody hens all at the same time, UG! They are all in the general population right now with just a couple eggs under each of them. Each egg is marked for indentification of being an original egg I placed under the hen. Each day when I come home I find at least one new egg under one of the hens, sometimes more.

How long can an egg be set on by a hen before it should not be saved for eating? I imagine some of the new eggs get set on for about 20 hours before I find them, will a new chick start in this short of time?

Dennis

 

[SamJacobbe]

In all honesty...

...the egg and sperm cell would already have combined and multiplied many times before the egg has even been laid.

Normally...

...an egg being set on for less than a full day should be fine to eat. If the egg is the same ones that the hens are laying on, it is possible that the hen is still laying and wants more eggs under her before she starts the incubating process. I have had some chickens that will set on three eggs, and others that will set on no less than fourteen! So maybe you should let the ones that seem to still be laying set on a few more, there are many things that could go wrong with the incubation process and a few extras never hurt

So if you really want to, you can still eat them, but maybe give her one or two more. Or, even better, if there is a specific breed you want to hatch then you can get some eggs from them and place them under. Chickens don't care about the breed, just whether or not they have chicks.

Good Luck!!

 

[denco5]

I didn't think about her laying more on her own, thanks for the advice and info.