How to save up eggs to put under broody?

[Jojosine]

Hi all
I've got a rooster and 10 hens and would like to put eggs under a (hopefully at some point) broody hen.

How old can the eggs be I want to put under her? And what is the best method to store them until one becomes broody?
I don't have an incubator as I'd like to do the 'natural' way.

Any advice is welcome
Many thanks,

 

[fluffycrow]

The fresher the better, but you could go up to two weeks for good fertility. Just be prepared that a broody might change her mind mid-way

 

[Saveria]

Have any of them gone broody before? Some breeds have had the behavior bred out of them.

 

[FunClucks]

How many eggs do you want to put under the broody? Depending on the size of the bird, they can sit on 6-10 egg or so (standard large fowl hen), but if they're smaller, they can realistically cover less eggs. Since you have ten hens (I assume most of them are laying?), wait until one goes broody, and seems dedicated (a week of determined broody behavior is a good rule of thumb). Then collect whatever your hens lay in about 1-3 days. Put all the eggs under the hen at the same time.

Eggs can sit out at room temperature inside while you wait. I wouldn't collect for much more than a week, but some folks have had success collecting over a longer period of time. There are specific humidity and temperature requirements on this site somewhere for storing eggs for a while before brooding them, but setting them out on the counter for a few days is easier.

 

[Ridgerunner]

How old can the eggs be I want to put under her? And what is the best method to store them until one becomes broody?

If stored under close to ideal conditions eggs can remain viable for 2 weeks or more. Ideal conditions are generally around 13 C (55 F) and in relatively high humidity. The eggs should be turned daily. Avoid temperature fluctuations and do not store them in sunlight or in a breeze. I don't have all those conditions, my temperature is more like 24 C (75 F) and my humidity is pretty low. I can easily store them for a week and get great fertility. But this is not how I suggest you do it.

When I think I have a broody hen my test to see if she truly deserves eggs is that she has to spend two consecutive nights on the nest instead of sleeping in her normal spot. By the time you confirm she deserves eggs you can probably have all the eggs you need saved up. If it takes you a couple of days extra it is not a problem. Just start them all at the same time and good luck.

 

[Egg Snatcher]

How many eggs do you want to put under the broody? Depending on the size of the bird, they can sit on 6-10 egg or so (standard large fowl hen), but if they're smaller, they can realistically cover less eggs. Since you have ten hens (I assume most of them are laying?), wait until one goes broody, and seems dedicated (a week of determined broody behavior is a good rule of thumb). Then collect whatever your hens lay in about 1-3 days. Put all the eggs under the hen at the same time.

Eggs can sit out at room temperature inside while you wait. I wouldn't collect for much more than a week, but some folks have had success collecting over a longer period of time. There are specific humidity and temperature requirements on this site somewhere for storing eggs for a while before brooding them, but setting them out on the counter for a few days is easier.

Agree. Eggs older than 2 weeks will not hatch so I do what FunClucks said to do. Make sure u use a marker to right the date u put the eggs under the hen or an x so u know what eggs will have babies in them when u collect eggs.

 

[WhiteTreeOfGondor]

I use a wine fridge set at 55-60 degrees to store hatching eggs.

 

[Jojosine]

Have any of them gone broody before? Some breeds have had the behavior bred out of them.

I've got Light Sussex and Daisybelles, the Daisy belles have been good broody hens (when I didn't want to be) and one of the Light sussex was also broody when we weren't quite ready. Just waiting for one of them to feel the urge

 

[Jojosine]

If stored under close to ideal conditions eggs can remain viable for 2 weeks or more. Ideal conditions are generally around 13 C (55 F) and in relatively high humidity. The eggs should be turned daily. Avoid temperature fluctuations and do not store them in sunlight or in a breeze. I don't have all those conditions, my temperature is more like 24 C (75 F) and my humidity is pretty low. I can easily store them for a week and get great fertility. But this is not how I suggest you do it.

When I think I have a broody hen my test to see if she truly deserves eggs is that she has to spend two consecutive nights on the nest instead of sleeping in her normal spot. By the time you confirm she deserves eggs you can probably have all the eggs you need saved up. If it takes you a couple of days extra it is not a problem. Just start them all at the same time and good luck.

thanks for the good tips; I've got a storage room which is fairly cool, so I'll keep some there and turn them daily. One hen we thought was going to be broody, didn't like the wait so left the nest after 2 days, so we'll make sure by waiting a bit longer before putting eggs under a hen.

 

[Jojosine]

How many eggs do you want to put under the broody? Depending on the size of the bird, they can sit on 6-10 egg or so (standard large fowl hen), but if they're smaller, they can realistically cover less eggs. Since you have ten hens (I assume most of them are laying?), wait until one goes broody, and seems dedicated (a week of determined broody behavior is a good rule of thumb). Then collect whatever your hens lay in about 1-3 days. Put all the eggs under the hen at the same time.

Eggs can sit out at room temperature inside while you wait. I wouldn't collect for much more than a week, but some folks have had success collecting over a longer period of time. There are specific humidity and temperature requirements on this site somewhere for storing eggs for a while before brooding them, but setting them out on the counter for a few days is easier

Assuming all hens lay eggs is dangerous
4 don't lay anything and that's why we want new, young chickens again, so these free loaders can be cooked (sorry if I upset anyone, our chickens are also bred for eating). The thing is that the free loaders have been good broodies last year, so I was hoping that one would at least be useful for something. But of course, you can't rush or plan nature.