how many eggs till hen goes broody ?

[MSH]

ok so I have 5 hens and 4 nest boxes and the only nest box with eggs has 10 in it but no one is sitting on the eggs yet ? is that ok ? or should I take them out or leave them in IDK I'm lost my incubator is full so I was going to leave them alone and let one of the hens hatch them but no one is cooperating with me lol is 10 enough ? I have 3 rhode Island reds one dominecker and one black/greenish hen that I really have no idea what she is anymore I was told black copper maran but she has no feathers on her feet and she lays really light eggs like a cream lol I'm kinda freakin out I don't want 10 wasted eggs
Thanks
msh

 

[Happy Chooks]

You can't force them to go broody. It's a hormonal change - if they aren't ready to brood chicks, it doesn't matter how many eggs pile up, they won't sit on them.

 

[ScissorChick]

Welcome to BYC!!!

Are you sure she's getting ready to sit on them?

If she is, she will stop whever she gets the ammount that she wants.

They may just be stacking up in there, though.

 

[CarolinaChickenKeeper]

My hen has laid around 16+ eggs, and I think she finally started sitting on them today. The last time she has around 20. Just leave them in there. Mother Nature will take care of them. When someone does finally start sitting, after 5-7 days, you can candle them to see which eggs are viable, and then discard the bad ones. You'll be suprised how many will hatch out. Hope this helps.

 

[ranchhand]

What you don't have is a broody hen, lol. Once a hen goes broody, she will sit on nothing if that's all there is! But if not broody, no amount of eggs piled up will make her go broody. Some folks say that works for them, but I've never had it work for me.

I recommend taking the eggs out and replacing them with some golf balls. Then, if one hen does go broody, she'll sit on them and you'll know it's time to put eggs under her. Good luck!

BTW- you do have a rooster, right?

 

[teach1rusl]

Sounds like all your hens are laying in the same box, which is common. And it sounds like NONE of your hens are broody. So you might as well collect the eggs and either eat them. Of my older group of hens, only one has gone broody (and that was only once) in two years. Some hens never go broody. Unless you have a girl who's been staying on the nest almost all day and all night, you might as well collect your eggs daily.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Chickens sometimes go broody without any eggs at all, then they will start to accumulate them. Certain breeds of chickens are more likely to brood, like silkies and cochins. Sometimes you just have to wait and see, unless you can buy another Bator. Good luck.

 

[MSH]

thanks I will leave them in there then I am just so excited for the chicks to hatch lol my kids can't wait I had to move the incubator to keep them out lol and now I can let momma deal with them lol maybe

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
Can you be more clear??? Is a broody hen actually SITTING on the eggs pretty much 24/7????? If not, then the eggs will be wasted if you just let them sit there for 21 days...

 

[Judy]

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html

Read here, all about broodies.