Question about a new broody hen?

[moorechicks]

We had a hen go broody about 6 or 7 days ago. None of the eggs are hers and at first there was only 3 eggs. We have been checking them and as of yesterday there was 10. We wrote numbers ono them to kind of keep track of them. We have never had a broody hen before. Is that to many eggs? They are not all from the same day so does mean she will keep laying on them until they are all hatched or leave when a few hatch? Our other hens keep laying in the same box as her that is why she keeps getting more eggs. Do we need to separate her so she want get any more eggs or just take them out everyday? We have never had a broody before so have no clue...I thought of just taking them all out and putting them in the bator but they would be so spread out I would be worried abut them when they hatch and trying to get them out of the bator since you arnt suppose to open it..Thanks

 

[Ridgerunner]

Is that to many eggs?
A full sized hen should be able to handle 10 eggs with no problem. As long as she can cover them all, the number of eggs is fine.

They are not all from the same day so does mean she will keep laying on them until they are all hatched or leave when a few hatch?

Good question and this is where the problem comes in. A newly hatched chick can go about three or so days without eating or drinking. The mama hen will probably stay on the nest as long as eggs are hatching, until she gets to the point that her chicks that have already hatched need to eat and drink. Then she will abandon the nest and the unhatched eggs.

Our other hens keep laying in the same box as her that is why she keeps getting more eggs. Do we need to separate her so she want get any more eggs or just take them out everyday?

Either way works. I like to separate a broody, but chickens have been hatching eggs with the flock for thousands of years. This thread discusses that and more.

Isolate a Broody? Thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=213218

We have never had a broody before so have no clue...I thought of just taking them all out and putting them in the bator but they would be so spread out I would be worried abut them when they hatch and trying to get them out of the bator since you arnt suppose to open it..

With the incubator and the staggered hatch, you have a few options. You can take the chicks from her as they hatch and dry off and put them in a brooder. She might stay on the nest and hatch the rest of the eggs or she might not. You can watch and put the unhatched eggs in lockdown conditions in the incubator when she leaves the nest. Or two days after the first one hatches, you can take the remaining eggs and put them in an incubator in lockdown conditions.

A staggered hatch is not an ideal situation, but it is not necessarily a total disaster. Good luck!!!

 

[moorechicks]

Wow, thanks so much for all the info!!

That was a great help.