how long would she continue to lay if she is broody???

[ChicKat]

I set eggs under the hen I thought was broody.

She sits on the eggs....but she is continuing to lay a new egg each day... So, does this mean that she isn't really broody?

Any insights would be welcomed.......

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

Before I set eggs under any broody, I wait a week to see if they are really broody. I've had some bad luck of putting some eggs under right when I think the hen is broody, but then after 4 days she'll get off and do regular hen business. I would be careful of eggs that are set on different dates, she'll wait for them to hatch also. Good luck~

 

[ChicKat]

Thanks JerseyGiantFolk-----

Some of her behaviors are 100% broody---but she keeps laying eggs....so it will be interesting to see the results of this hen......

 

[gamechickens]

no not true broody. hens stop laying when they get to their own magical number of eggs that they want to sit on. as for the eggs she lays after you put eggs under her they will all hatch at the same time. egg need the hen to sit on them a couple days straight for them really to get going. she usually gets off the nest about 2 to 3 days after the first egg hatchs regardless if there is eggs still hatching. i know this for a fact as i have been doing this a long time and have chicks that were peeping that the mother abandond to take care of the rest of her brood and have hatched in my incubator.(cause they dont wait there for all the eggs to hatch)

 

[ChicKat]

Thanks gamechickens,

What you are saying makes absolute sense....especially since the hormones that produce the broody behavior would block the egg production I suspect. --