non-broody hen sitting on eggs while the broody hen taken a break

[knaup109]

I have a hen that is broody. She has been sitting on the eggs for 5 days. Yesterday, I noticed the broody hen when outside for the whole day. One of the other hen, which is not broody sit on the eggs while the broody one out of the nest. Do non-broody hen take over duty sitting on the eggs for the broody hen sometime?

 

[emys]

The non- broody hen is probably laying an egg in the broody nest - not good, because they will not hatch with the others and if there are too many eggs overall, the broody hen may not be able to warm them all and you will have very few hatch.

Section off your broody or at least mark her current eggs and remove new ones while she takes her break.

 

[LilyD]

My sister had the same problem when her hen went broody. She actually drew smilie faces on the eggs that the broody was trying to hatch so while she was off the nest she could collect the eggs that the other hens laid in there that way she could hatch her eggs without worry.

 

[JulieNKC]

When one of my other hens is on the nest laying my silkie takes the opportunity to get a dring, eat, dustbathe, etc. Or she just paces back and forth til grumbling til she can get back on. I have all my eggs marked, but they are different than the eggs my girls lay anyway. She's sitting on a couple big white eggs, and small brown ones. My girls lay big brown eggs, and small white ones. Makes it easy to spot the eggs that dont belong.