Just found our first 8 eggs!!! Help!

[NewHomesteaders5]

Hey everyone!! So I was just out feeding my 8 chickens, 6 black australorps (hens), 1 black jersey giant (hen) and 1 salmon faverolle (rooster), and couldn’t find one of the hens. I told my hubby to check the coop, we haven’t put in the 4 best boxes yet as we weren’t expecting the girls to lay until August, and he found her sitting on 8 eggs!!! They’re rather small and I have no clue if she was the only one laying or not or how long they have been in the coop.
Is there any way to tell if they have started incubating yet and if I should return them to her to continue incubating (I wouldn’t mind more chicks ) or if they can be cleaned and eaten?
I haven’t noticed Sir Winston (my roo) mounting any of the ladies, in fact he just started crowing two days ago and is quite a quiet gentleman otherwise.
So sorry for the long message, these are our first chickens ever and I just want to make sure I’m doing the right thing!
Thank you!!!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Is the one that was sitting on the eggs an Australorp?
I don't recommend incubating a pullet's first eggs. First of all they are too small. Secondly there are often problems with embryos from extremely young cockerels and pullets.
I would remove the eggs and immediately install the nest boxes.
You can candle the eggs to see if they have started developing. You can return them to the hen, in one of the nest boxes and see if she will go back on them and they could hatch. I just don't let first time broody pullets set normally because they don't always get it right.

 

[Anndie]

We are going through the same thing ! We did a head count and came up 2 short, so the search was on We found her in the cattle run, which is a high traffic area, under a huge thistle, which my husband was about to cut down ! She is sitting on 10 very small green eggs. That was 2 weeks ago. We had so much going on that we kicked the can, so now today our incubator hatch day has arrived and the incubator will be empty again. We candled her eggs the other day and all are developing. Sooo we currently have 5 broody hens. So the loose plan is to replace her eggs with ceramic eggs and finish them out in the incubator. Then divvy them up between these hens, and get them off the much needed nests. I agree with Chicken Canoe, this is far from optimal, first off a 1st timer really shouldn't raise more than 2. They loose them and it does not end well. Experienced hens can handle a large brood, not a pullet. So what we do with our hens is they go into a large brooder with their chicks the day after they hatch, and that is where everybody stays safe and warm for 2 weeks. In that two weeks everybody gets a good head start so when we turn them out to free range it is successful.

 

[NewHomesteaders5]

Is the one that was sitting on the eggs an Australorp?
I don't recommend incubating a pullet's first eggs. First of all they are too small. Secondly there are often problems with embryos from extremely young cockerels and pullets.
I would remove the eggs and immediately install the nest boxes.
You can candle the eggs to see if they have started developing. You can return them to the hen, in one of the nest boxes and see if she will go back on them and they could hatch. I just don't let first time broody pullets set normally because they don't always get it right.

I just got back from Tractor Supply and got a candler, laying feed and crushed oyster shells, apparently I have layers!! As I was getting everyone stocked up for the night I decided to look in the coop again and sure enough there was egg number 9! I did candle the first 8 eggs and there’s no development in any of them so in the fridge they go for breakfast tomorrow morning!
I am curious, should I be feeding my rooster something else or is it ok for him to be eating the same layer feed mixed with oyster shells?
Thank you so much for your replies!

 

[NewHomesteaders5]

Is the one that was sitting on the eggs an Australorp?
I don't recommend incubating a pullet's first eggs. First of all they are too small. Secondly there are often problems with embryos from extremely young cockerels and pullets.
I would remove the eggs and immediately install the nest boxes.
You can candle the eggs to see if they have started developing. You can return them to the hen, in one of the nest boxes and see if she will go back on them and they could hatch. I just don't let first time broody pullets set normally because they don't always get it right.

I forgot to answer your question, yes, the one sitting on the eggs was an australorp.

 

[aart]

I am curious, should I be feeding my rooster something else or is it ok for him to be eating the same layer feed mixed with oyster shells?

Many folks with males in flock don't feed layer...they use a feed with lower calcium percentage(~1% vs 3-4%) and offer Oyster Shell in a separate feeder for the layers(do not mix OS into the feed). Won't hurt for one bag, but might think about that next time you need to buy feed, but not great long term IMO.

 

[NewHomesteaders5]

Many folks with males in flock don't feed layer...they use a feed with lower calcium percentage(~1% vs 3-4%) and offer Oyster Shell in a separate feeder for the layers(do not mix OS into the feed). Won't hurt for one bag, but might think about that next time you need to buy feed, but not great long term IMO.

Thank you! I was going off what the bag said to do and figured it’d be easier to just mix one pound of OS into 20lbs of feed.
Won’t the roo eat it anyway if the OS are out in a separate container anyway? All 8 are together and free range in a big fenced in area right behind the house and eat and drink out of the same feeders.
Also, will the hens produce eggs with proper shells if I don’t feed any layer feed and no OS?
Please forgive all the questions, I thought I had this figured out but apparently I don’t ‍‍

 

[aart]

Won’t the roo eat it anyway if the OS are out in a separate container anyway?

Nah, non laying birds might sample some but not enough to 'hurt' them.

Also, will the hens produce eggs with proper shells if I don’t feed any layer feed and no OS?

They definitely need a source of calcium, either layer feed or OS.
Actually most folks who feed layer feed still provide a separate container with OS and/or crushed chicken egg shells as some birds may need a bit more calcium than others.

 

[Kiki]

Thank you! I was going off what the bag said to do and figured it’d be easier to just mix one pound of OS into 20lbs of feed.
Won’t the roo eat it anyway if the OS are out in a separate container anyway? All 8 are together and free range in a big fenced in area right behind the house and eat and drink out of the same feeders.
Also, will the hens produce eggs with proper shells if I don’t feed any layer feed and no OS?
Please forgive all the questions, I thought I had this figured out but apparently I don’t ‍‍

May I ask what brand of feed you have? I have not seen a bag of feed yet that says to mix OS with the feed.

 

[aart]

May I ask what brand of feed you have? I have not seen a bad of feed yet that says to mix OS with the feed.

I think they meant bag says 'this age gets this feed'....not about mixing OS in.