sneaky hens

[RobbieB]

So, I'm on my first time raising chickens and I kept having the same few hens escape their pen everday. Since I have 10 fenced acres today I decided they win and left the gate open so they could all come and go as they please. I was watching them the way we do lol and I noticed that my escapees were under a small cedar bush. Upon further investigation I found that they were sitting on about 5 eggs. I don't know if they have been sitting at night or anything else. I don't even know how long they have been there but my girls are very young and just started laying around 2 weeks ago. It has been in the mid 90's during the day and upper 70's or so at night. Should I let my girls keep their eggs?

 

[goldies99]

i would collect the eggs....i dont know if i would eat them if you dont know how long they have been there....but i would try to break them from laying there and get them in the nest box...chickens will go lay eggs where they see other eggs ...so chances are they are just going to lay there every day...good luck

 

[emma p]

If they have not been on the eggs close to 24/7 they will not have chicks in them. And with how hot it is they may not be developing. You can candle them and see if they are developing. Just go somewhere dark with the eggs (maybe just at night) and put a flashlight under them. You can look at this and see if they look similar: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/candling-pics-progression-through-incubation-of-chicken-eggs
I hope that helps! Good luck.
--Emma

 

[RobbieB]

Thanks, they have nesting boxes with fake eggs and some of the hens use them. I figured these 3 were trying to out smart me. I watched them for a while one hen was turning them and they would take turns setting. Is that normal or do they just not have it figured out yet?

 

[goldies99]

i dont think chickens that young are likely to go broody...i think they go broody when they are over a year....its more likely
they are just going to lay another egg....you should check at night to see if they are on the eggs....a good broody hen will not leave her eggs all night...she will stick with them!

 

[The Hawk]

I would collect the eggs and give them the water test, if they float, do not break them open, if they sink then crack into a bowl to see how they look.
Hens that are that young will most likely not set very good. I keep hens in until i think they are all done laying. Its not fun hunting all around the yard looking for eggs, unless its Easter time
with the kids.

 

[RobbieB]

My only saving grace is a seven yr old son who lives to find eggs lol if they float what do I do with them?

 

[The Hawk]

Put them in the compost pile, they could smell very bad.