New to Hatching Chicks- Question

[audra82]

A few months ago I got 8 Silkies from my friend. About a week ago one of the hens went broody. She has been aggresive when I've come near her to see how many eggs she's sitting on but yesterday I got a look and there were 17 (not all hers). I'm assuming the eggs are being added at different days so I'm worried when they start hatching she will "abandon" the remaining eggs.

Weirdly, earlier today I noticed she had "kicked out" about 8 eggs. I thought maybe the eggs were bad and that's why. I didn't touch them but after about an hour I went and checked again and they were back under her.

So now I'm wondering what I should do. Should I let her be and let nature take its course or candle the eggs tonight and mark then remove any that aren't developing.

Does anyone have suggestions? Also this picture the white Silkie is the broody one and my Golden Laced Wyandotte was keeping her company briefly.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

Broody hens know when something is wrong with the eggs. But since they didn't disappear then she probably forgot and put them back under her. So defiantly candle them and get rid of the ones that aren't developing.

Here are links
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/candling-pics-progression-through-incubation-of-chicken-eggs
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/pictures-and-videos-of-candling-chicken-eggs

Good luck!

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

First, do not let other hens in with her as if they are laying eggs as well, she is not going to set full term on all these eggs. You want a broody to set on a clutch of eggs that are all at the same point of development. So section her off so nobody lays any eggs in her clutch. Candle these eggs and mark them. Keep the ones that look similar in development and mark them. The others you can either leave with her or put them in an incubator. You can even give them to another broody. You might also collect these left over eggs after she abandons them when a few chicks hatch.

Good luck with your broody hatch!

 

[audra82]

I did that and 12 were the same development. I marked them front and back. I could see eyes and veins. What day of development do you think they are?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Wyandottes7]

Welcome to BYC!

We're glad to have you.

 

[BantamLover21]

Glad you joined us!

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! There is a nice article in the Learning Center which has pictures of candled eggs all the way through incubation, you may be able to match yours pretty close https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/candling-pics-progression-through-incubation-of-chicken-eggs if you can take/post pictures of your eggs you could also post them in the Incubation forum for help with figuring out how far along they are.

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[sumi]

Welcome to BYC

You got some good advice here. Best of luck with the hatch!