should i gather my eggs or let sit in nest until a hen lays on them

[crazyeggkat]

I have a nest of eggs started and nobody is laying yet. Should I leave them and wait for a hen to start laying on it? I just don't want them to get old or should I pull them? Any ideas??

 

[morelcabin]

Leave them there, your flock consists of broody type birds, eventually someone will decide to sit:>)

 

[melissastraka]

i just bought ping pong balls so hopefully someone will either set or they will learn to play table tennis....heres to hoping!

 

[sillybirds]

Quote:
Are those store bought eggs you placed to show your hens where to lay once they begin laying? You can just use fake eggs, golf balls, or like melissa said, ping pong balls (depending on which sport you want them to pick up

). Similarly, if you mean you want to have a hen go broody, then the fake eggs, etc. will work too. Once your hen goes broody, you can replace the fake eggs with real fertilized eggs you've collected.

 

[crazyeggkat]

These are all real eggs no fake ones I think it's 2 different hens laying in the same box. I just wish one of them would turn broody and start laying on them.

 

[Lollipop]

Here`s an idea for ya. Mark all those eggs and leave them there. Start collecting new eggs each day and date them with a pencil. Store those in the house in a cool place. Each day when you add the new eggs, turn the ones allready there. When a hen goes broody, let her set on the original eggs til she is real comfy(about 2 nights). On the third night, go to her in the dark and swap out the old eggs for the freshest ones you have. Good luck........Pop

PS; good idea to move here to a private pen before planting the new eggs.

 

[FarmGirl01]

Quote:
Great advice.

 

[Southernbelle]

I usually use fake eggs or golf balls in the nests, so as not to waste my good eggs. Are your eggs fertile?

Leaving a full nest won't neccessarily induce broodiness, especially if your girls are young. I've had Easter Eggers (hatchery Ameraucanas) for over a year and have never had one of them go broody and they're supposed to be a "broody" type.

On the other hand, I always have at least one broody Silkie year round. They're a really broody type. I still dont leave a full nest of eggs to induce them - I wait until I'm sure they're broody and then give them fresh eggs.

 

[I'vegotchickenfever]

Are y'all saying that instead of waiting for a hen to go broody, you can kinda force a hen to sit? Are you saying that one will eventually volunteer if eggs are left there?

WOW - learn something new every day!!! I thought I had to wait for one to start sitting.

 

[FarmGirl01]

Leaving eggs in a nest is what I call "smoking out a broody".