How many eggs do you keep under a broody hen?

[LunaMarieWolf]

Hey guys!

I have a broody hen here that is begging me for eggs.

Last time she sat she incubated 24 eggs! But only hatched 2 due to a rodent problem.

So now that she is broody again, how many eggs should she have? How many eggs have you guys had under a broody and her hatch them?

Just as a note, she is a Black Sex-link.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If you set too many a hen cannot turn them all or keep them properly covered. 4-8 is a good number. Anything over 10 seems to be too many and will cut down the hatch rate.

 

[Harmony Fowl]

I like to give them just a few unless I'm removing some right away for sale. I like to be able to take a quick gander at them and verify they're all there. That's hard to do with a bunch. I usually do 3-6.

 

[Mvan42]

My broody did great with 12 .. 11 hatched.. I guess it depends on how many she can cover without any sticking out from under her.

I have read on here that up to 12is a good number but over that the hen has trouble covering..

 

[LunaMarieWolf]

Right now shes sitting on 1 actual egg. She is also sitting on the 2 fake eggs I put in the nesting boxes.

 

[LunaMarieWolf]

Did a check to see how many eggs she had stashed away today.

She has 3 now!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Hey guys!

I have a broody hen here that is begging me for eggs.

Last time she sat she incubated 24 eggs! But only hatched 2 due to a rodent problem.

So now that she is broody again, how many eggs should she have? How many eggs have you guys had under a broody and her hatch them?

Just as a note, she is a Black Sex-link.

We recently had all 12 eggs placed under a broody black copper marans hatch!