Local African Hen on 14 Eggs; What to do?

[BhaniOM]

Hello all!
I found a sad little hen in the road, with an egg next to her around three weeks ago in the capital city in a central African country where I live. Her eyes were glued shut so she was essentially blind, and she was missing a few toe tips because of the hair extension filament that is 'trash' in the streets here and which had become completely entangled and embedded in her feet, causing the toe tips to fall off. She may be around 5 months old(?) I have nursed her back to health (both eyes are almost completely open now) and she has laid (in two different 'sessions') 14 eggs, and she is now sitting on them. Even in her poor initial condition, she laid an egg a day for around 5 days. These earlier eggs sat around for at least a week without her sitting on them. Then, she didn't lay any eggs for around 5 days (still didn't sit on the first ones), but then laid another 'set' of eight. I tried candling them but am having trouble telling what's what. My question is, should I let her continue sitting on these and 'see what happens' (if anything), or is it unlikely that any are viable? Can the hen tell if an egg is unviable and then, if so, what does she do with/to it? I don't have an incubator and don't want her to loose too much weight but also don't want to kill any viable eggs--help! I welcome your advice on what to do! THANKS!

 

[SilverBirds]

If she hasn't been near a rooster in the past month the eggs won't be fertile. I would remove all the eggs and break her of her broodiness.
Do you have just the one hen?

 

[BhaniOM]

If she hasn't been near a rooster in the past month the eggs won't be fertile. I would remove all the eggs and break her of her broodiness.
Do you have just the one hen?

Thanks for your reply! Someone gifted me another (young) local hen around 12 days ago..so, the hen in question was alone for around 3+ weeks. BTW, I could tell a few eggs had a visible air sac and 2-3 show a lacy sort of pattern inside, all over the inner shell...I was looking at videos and photos of the blood vessel formation but still don't feel like that is necessarily what I am seeing in these eggs...does it still seem like I should remove all 14? (sorry I didn't elaborate this in my initial posting!)

 

[SilverBirds]

Thanks for your reply! Someone gifted me another (young) local hen around 12 days ago..so, the hen in question was alone for around 3+ weeks. BTW, I could tell a few eggs had a visible air sac and 2-3 show a lacy sort of pattern inside, all over the inner shell...I was looking at videos and photos of the blood vessel formation but still don't feel like that is necessarily what I am seeing in these eggs...does it still seem like I should remove all 14? (sorry I didn't elaborate this in my initial posting!)

Photos would be helpful, but it doesn't sound like they are growing. I'd remove all the eggs and start collecting them in the future so she doesn't get the instinct to go broody again.

 

[linguini]

If you do not have a rooster around your hens, collect the eggs they lay as soon as possible and enjoy (consume) the eggs! The eggs won't be fertile, and it'll reduce the likelihood of them becoming broody. When they become broody, they'll stop laying eggs for a while before resume laying.
Even if you have a rooster, and you don't want to breed more chickens, enjoy the eggs when they are fresh!

 

[Mrs. K]

If the hen is not setting on them, she is not broody. Those eggs should be used as food if that is within your custom. There is not much chance any of the early eggs are viable. And no chance of the newer eggs are viable without a rooster.

So I think you are fretting over nothing. I don't see you getting any chicks.

Mrs K