nesting

[flyzone13]

Ok I have a hen that layed eggs but I never saw her sit on them, so I took them out, she made a new nest and it has one egg in it but she wont lay on it, is there something not right or am I just impatient.

 

[lovin my birds]

Hens will usually wait to sit on a nest until they think they have the rightr amount of eggs in it. In nature hens will lay enough eggs so that the ratio of babies hatching is good. The more ducklings the better chance of having some survive. I would just be patient. I had a hen that went broody last year but it took her getting 20 eggs in the nest before she actually sat. I would go out and mark the date on them everyday, that way when she finally went broody i took out the really old ones and left the 10 newest ones in there. That way you will be less likely to have a rotten egg in the mix. It might be also that she just doesnt want to sit. I have a female rouen who has yet to want to sit on eggs. I would just let her build her nest and just hope for the best.

 

[flyzone13]

So if I disturb the nest by marking her eggs she will still return? Sorry if that is a silly questions but this is new to me, and thank you for your help.