Questions about eggs for broody hen

[kgardiner]

I have a hen who has gone broody. The other hens lay and she pulls them all in. I have some golf balls under her as I was trying to encourage her. I want to put a clutch of select eggs under her and my question is - Can I remove an egg or eggs from under her today and for the next couple of days and selectively put the yous I choose back under her? Or will the heat from her setting on them until I collect them begin the growing process past when the eggs will stay viable?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Elke Beck]

When I want a broody to hatch eggs, I take her out of the general population and put her in a large wire-sided dog crate with a covered cat litterbox stuffed with Timothy hay. I give her golf balls until I am ready to put eggs under her. This avoids having her take other eggs and winding up with infertile eggs or mixed due dates, and it stops the hen getting back on the wrong nest when she gets off the nest. Plus I do not have to listen to the broody yelling "Krilllllllllllllllllll!!!! everytime another hen wants to get into a nestbox or I am collecting eggs.

 

[kgardiner]

Ok, thank you. Idk why I didn't think of that.. smh
I have a segregation pen for her with a nesting box ready for her to go. I'll put her in there in the morning and start my egg selection after that. One more question if you don't mind - what's an ideal amount of eggs to place with her? She's an austrolop - I was thinking 14?

Thanks again!

 

[Elke Beck]

If this is her first time, I would do no more than 8 or 9 eggs. When I gave my Buff Orpington 10 eggs last year, she broke one and I think it was because it was her first time and she was inexperienced. I think it is better to go with a smaller clutch and have her be successful.

 

[melina90]

If this is her first time, I would do no more than 8 or 9 eggs. When I gave my Buff Orpington 10 eggs last year, she broke one and I think it was because it was her first time and she was inexperienced. I think it is better to go with a smaller clutch and have her be successful.

My silkie bantam hen is brooding on 6 buff-orpington-eggs atm. And she's tiny - I'm fascinated she can actually cover all those eggs, haha. Also her first time. Perhaps I should consider to take some of them into the incubator?