Silly Question but have not been able to find the answer!

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Ok I'm VERY new to chickens and I have been searching the web trying to find out the answer to this question....when I see hens with a flock of 15 babies that she hatched out, how does that happen? Does she continue to lay while she is broody and sitting on the egg or can you add eggs for her to sit on from other hens? We are planning on letting one of hens go broody and would like to know what we are in for here. lol

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Most Broody hens will lay a clutch of eggs say 12 to 14 eggs then her homones really kick in and she quits laying and sets them til they hatch.........sometimes other hens lay into the nest too so that helps her build the clutch...

Mine usually set on air because I have gathered the eggs every day but when I want one to set them I just place 10 to 12 under her....

 

[ascott1978]

It is common for multiple birds to share the same nest box, then have one hatch all the eggs.

Adding eggs after the bird has started sitting would mean the eggs would hatch at different time. If the majority hatch and the added haven't yet, the hen may abandon the introduced eggs.

 

[ChickNLittle]

I like your other question; "what are we in for here". Well....I would say with a broody hen.....could be lots of baby chicks running around. Tehe!

 

[Love my Critters!]

Once the hen is done laying eggs, she will begin to sit on them. You can add eggs, but once the temperature and humidy are up for a day from mom sitting on them, all the eggs begin to start developing at the same time. That is how they have so many that are the same age. If you want to add eggs, add them before she has been sitting on her eggs for over a day or so, that way they will all hatch around the same time. Once a hen goes broody and starts to sit, she will not lay anymore eggs.