Shattering eggs at around 21 days (hen sitting)

[Abriana]

No problem! Glad to help. Will you let me know how the chicks are doing when they hatch?

 

[AndreaKash]

Will do!

 

[bobbi-j]

Your later eggs may not hatch. The problem with a hen having too many eggs to cover is, when she's setting she moves the eggs around, shifting some to the middle and some to the outside and back again to ensure even coverage. With too many eggs, they don't always get moved back, or she can't keep them all warm enough. That will cause some to start developing then die, some to develop more slowly, etc. When a hen doesn't have too many eggs, they all develop evenly and usually what's going to hatch will do so in 24 hours of when the first one does. The mama will usually stay on the nest for 24-48 hours of when the first ones start hatching, then leaves the nest. Her instincts are telling her that it's time to go teach her babies to be chickens. If this were my situation, I'd dispose of the remaining eggs and let the mama raise her baby.

One other thing to consider next time one of your hens goes broody. If you don't know how long she's been setting, or when all the eggs have been laid (she may have started setting and had others "contribute to the cause" throughout incubation causing what's called a "staggered hatch"), I would suggest collecting however many eggs you'd like her to hatch (I will usually give a broody 10-12 eggs, although I have one on four eggs right now), get rid of the original eggs, and put the ones you've collected under her all at once. I would mark them, too, so you know if another hen is laying in the nest or not. I draw a circle around mine with a Sharpie so no matter what position they're in, I can see right away they're marked. Or, you can separate your broody from the rest of the hens so they don't lay in her nest.

 

[AndreaKash]

I'm going to take the eggs out tonight. I got wooden eggs from the store to take their place. Just not sure how to fully take the eggs out. Mom goes CRAZY when either chick or eggs are gone. On a side note, our chick has an extra toe on each back toe. Our rooster has that on one foot so I'm assuming he's the one that passed that trait along. Anyone seen this before? Its pretty cute.

 

[bobbi-j]

I'm going to take the eggs out tonight. I got wooden eggs from the store to take their place. Just not sure how to fully take the eggs out. Mom goes CRAZY when either chick or eggs are gone. On a side note, our chick has an extra toe on each back toe. Our rooster has that on one foot so I'm assuming he's the one that passed that trait along. Anyone seen this before? Its pretty cute.

Why are you replacing the real eggs with fake ones? She's done setting. She may be returning to the nest at night, but there is no reason to replace the eggs you take. It might be easier to remove them at night, and then just be done with it. She'll get over it.

 

[AndreaKash]

Why are you replacing the real eggs with fake ones? She's done setting. She may be returning to the nest at night, but there is no reason to replace the eggs you take. It might be easier to remove them at night, and then just be done with it. She'll get over it.

well heres my problem, and I may just be over thinking this. When I tired taking the eggs out yesterday, she freaked out and began scratching everything looking for them. At one point our chick got caught under her and I was nervous that she might accidentally hurt him. I don't want to put the chick by itself as its doing so well with mom, but I don't want to keep the bad eggs under her any longer. Any advice on transitioning?

 

[bobbi-j]

At night, take the eggs. She may look for them for a bit, but she will get over it. The chick should be fine. He should be big enough by now to get out of the way. It's surprising how agile they are.

 

[Abriana]

The reason I said to replace the eggs with ceramic ones or golf balls was so that she would think she was hatching the other ones and then when and if they hatch you can give them back and she won't be upset or confused.

 

[Birdinhand]

if this is a first time broody it may not have sat steadily enough early on and the embryo's may have gotten an uneven start. sometimes a poor incubation will result in chicks that keep forming but never reach viability. I had to remove our broody to an isolated place because each morning when she got up to eat one of the other hens would jump in and lay and egg and gradually the other hen started staying on the eggs for longer and longer periods. one of the eggs broke presumably because the new hen was not so careful. from now on, as soon as I see a hen staying on the eggs at night, she's going to a separate space.