How many eggs Araucana hen can sit?

My silkie is sitting on 18 eggs! shes due Oct 3rd. as long she can cover the eggs is never too many ! (I think my silkie should sit on 12 eggs to be comfortable ! )
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Hens come in different sizes and eggs come in different sizes. Some silkies are bantam and lay pretty small eggs. Some silkies are closer to full sized and lay a larger egg. I have no idea what size you Araucana is. Some bantams have trouble covering four full sized eggs. I've seen a full sized hen cover 18 eggs the same size she laid. I'd hate to think how many bantam sized eggs she could have covered. I've had some full sized hens that can only cover a dozen of the eggs the size she laid. I can't give you a firm answer because there are way too many variables.

To me the perfect number is if she can cover all of them and has room for one or two more eggs. She should be comfortable with that and you have a bit of flexibility in case something happens.

You'll have to look at the hen and the eggs and use your judgment, but if they all disappear under her, she should be OK.

Good luck!
 
My broody hen is a small "Barred Dome" game hen (At least that's what the guy who gave her to me called her). She hatched her 2nd clutch, saturday, 15 Sep. I always pile eggs under her till she pushes one away. This time it was 9, last time it was 5. I slip eggs next to her, and so long as she rakes them under her, I keep slipping eggs next to her. She pecks at me, but seems grateful for them. Of these 9, 1 disappeared with no shell present (snake maybe?) about mid 2nd week. She hatched 6 of the other 8, with one being born dead. The other 5 are now 5 days old and thriving.
 
Wow 18 eggs!? it must be all silkie eggs then. ok may be 10 isnt too bad :)
mine due 7th. it's so excited!
Let me know how many of your eggs houtch!
Good luck!
 
Hi i tryed to put under her 12 eggs first.
I check her later one egg was cold she must couldnt cover it.
And one had little clack so i take that one out.

I think she is small bird for Araucana. smallest of all my hens.
Now she is sitting on 10 eggs. She fluff up as much as she can and cover all 10 eggs. All eggs are warm going well so far.

Hope I get lots of fluffy chicks in 3 weeks...

Thank you!
 
So hen does know how many eggs she can hatch? interesting!
I only have hens so I have to buy eggs for her, so I just want put under her all eggs I bought...
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I think she is doing good job cover all 10 eggs at the moment.

wish me luck!
 
I am sure not all 18 is going to hatch ! ( some might not be fertilized and some not her eggs) But I will never know ! I cant wait to see what happens ! right now I am going to make a brooder box for her and the babies. I am worry about other hens (different breeds) killing the babies it happen before :( I am looking for my picture to share .
 

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