Newbie question

[zinkie]

So I have a few girls who love to sit, my Buff Orp started sitting on some eggs last week. But a few other girls (GLW and a partridge rock) would go in and they took turns. I don't know if they were just practicing. Because none of them stayed on the eggs the whole time, but there were always someone on the nest.... until day 3 and when they went to bed, one of them got off and no one ever went back.

So my problem is, I would like to hatch my EEGS and Cocoo Morans eggs, but I have 10 girls various breeds, and everyone kept depositing their eggs into the nest. SO I tried to get them and number then- 1- day 1, 2- day 2, etc. Part of me doesn't want to keep disturbing the girl on the nest, but how do you keep track of them and not end up with 20 eggs after a few days? I typically get 7 or 8 eggs a day right now.
And are they not really broody if they keep getting off and taking turns sitting? After they gave up, I checked the eggs and they were starting to develop.... so I think there was always someone on them....

And I have 2 EEGS and 2 Cuocoo Morans. How many "days" of eggs can I keep putting under her? Sometimes my EEGs only lay every other day right now.

Sorry... so many questions... This is my first time trying to raise babies. We also may have access to an incubator from a school... Maybe I should have it around just in case.

I also live in NH. IS there any reliable place to get fertilized eggs around here? or just mail order?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You want to limit the eggs being incubated to those set for no more than 2 days so there isn't a staggered hatch.
If they're not on the nest at night or are off for more than an hour, they're not broody.


Mark the eggs and remove any volunteers after 2 days.