Optimum number of eggs to put under broody?

[HEChicken]

I was reading the post by Smartie_Pants, regarding her spread out hatch (https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=261008) and one of the answers was that 13 eggs may have been too many. I don't have a broody but do have some BO pullets and had planned to put a few eggs under them if/when they do go broody in the future. So I'm wondering, what would be considered a good number of eggs under a standard sized BO hen?

 

[eggsrcool]

I would say you could fit 10 in, however, I would stick to 6-8, to make sure they are all covered as a general rule.

eggsrcool

 

[Smartie_Pants]

I would say that you should only put as many as she can set on in one layer. Don't pile or stack the eggs. Next time I'll be sure to limit the number, even if it looks like she is covering them all good. Just remember, mine is a bantam with small eggs. Yours will be bigger, but will also have bigger eggs.

 

[HEChicken]

Great - thanks!

 

[Akane]

I had a little japanese bantam go broody and collect every egg she could. In the end she was sitting on 2 dozen large and jumbo sized eggs from my biggest standard hens. Every egg developed at the same rate and would likely have hatched if a raccoon didn't get her and break about 14eggs within days of when they were due to hatch. The remaining ones all hatched in an incubator. If that tiny little hen can sit 2 dozen big eggs I think any good broody standard hen should be able to handle at least 10.