I'm unprepared for this! What do I do!?

[Anthony-Smith]

This is not a direct answer to your question, but something you should do. Mark the eggs you want her to hatch in some way, and remove all other eggs daily. You want the eggs to hatch all at the same time because once she has chicks she will abandon any remaining eggs. If you always gather eggs daily you should not find veins in your breakfast.

Normally I gather the eggs every day or every other day. This time it was a few days before I got to them. Got super busy and they are not actually living where I am staying right now (they are at a new house that I am renovating).

That brings me to another question. If they JUST laid an egg, would I be able to tell if it was fertilized if I cracked it open the next day? What if the egg was two days old and I cracked it the day after that?

The reason I ask is because I was wondering lately if my rooster was even fertile. He is about a year and a half old and these were the first identifiable federalized eggs. Im thinking that maybe I should let the eggs be sat on for a few days to tell if they are fertile before I just remove them?

 

[duluthralphie]

That is all up to you and your goal.

The suggestion to mark the eggs is a great one. Without marking them you will not like the surprises you find.

if you could get her to shelter in place is your best bet, after that I would suggest moving her. Make sure she has water and feed.

She will poop heaps..So don’t worry about cow pie size piles.. that might be an exaggeration...but

 

[Anthony-Smith]

That is all up to you and your goal.

The suggestion to mark the eggs is a great one. Without marking them you will not like the surprises you find.

if you could get her to shelter in place is your best bet, after that I would suggest moving her. Make sure she has water and feed.

She will poop heaps..So don’t worry about cow pie size piles.. that might be an exaggeration...but

I've already marked the eggs. Right now its just two of them.
And my goal is to let them reproduce as many as they are willing, lol.

 

[duluthralphie]

I've already marked the eggs. Right now its just two of them.
And my goal is to let them reproduce as many as they are willing, lol.

Build a larger coop now!

 

[elisabeth_]

To answer your question from earlier about telling if your rooster is doing his job..
You can crack open eggs that are not developing yet and see a white spot on the yolk. If it looks kind of like a bullseye, with a white spot around and one in the middle, it is fertile. If it’s just a small white circle, it is not fertile.
Here’s an image to help

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Build a larger coop now!

Lol! Good suggestion, if you are letting your broody hen hatch eggs, you are about to fall victim to a serious condition we refer to around here as "chicken math!"

 

[aart]

I've already marked the eggs. Right now its just two of them.
And my goal is to let them reproduce as many as they are willing, lol.

Once they start setting and the eggs developing, not a good idea to add more later or you'll have a staggered hatch.

Lots of different ways to manage a broody, this works best for me:
When I have a broody I wait until she's been in the nest most the day and all night for 2-3 days...along with those other signs I posted.

Then I put her in the broody enclosure with fake eggs in the floor nest, she won't like being moved, but if she is truly good and broody she will settle onto the new nest within a half a day.
Then I give her fresh fertile eggs and mark the calendar.

I like them separated by wire from the flock, it's just easier all around.
No having to mark eggs and remove any additions daily, no taking up a laying nest, no going back to the wrong nest after the daily constitutional.


I remove barrier about one week after hatch. The chicks are usually safe it's the broody who has to 'fight' her way back into the pecking order...which can be quick or take a few days.

Lots of space helps for re-integration.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I rremoved my 3rd broody off nest two days ago and have broken her broodiness. All 3 of my BO have now attempted to go broody. Hopefully none of the EE will!

 

[Anthony-Smith]

Build a larger coop now!

lol.
I'm specifically asking if

Once they start setting and the eggs developing, not a good idea to add more later or you'll have a staggered hatch.

Lots of different ways to manage a broody, this works best for me:
When I have a broody I wait until she's been in the nest most the day and all night for 2-3 days...along with those other signs I posted.

Then I put her in the broody enclosure with fake eggs in the floor nest, she won't like being moved, but if she is truly good and broody she will settle onto the new nest within a half a day.
Then I give her fresh fertile eggs and mark the calendar.

I like them separated by wire from the flock, it's just easier all around.
No having to mark eggs and remove any additions daily, no taking up a laying nest, no going back to the wrong nest after the daily constitutional.


I remove barrier about one week after hatch. The chicks are usually safe it's the broody who has to 'fight' her way back into the pecking order...which can be quick or take a few days.

Lots of space helps for re-integration.

Thanks! This really helps!