The most eggs a hen can hatch?

[chickenpiedpiper]

Ok, last question, and its a bit different.

I have a different hen, a Japanese mix. She loves to be broody. is only 14 months old, and has been broody 4 times. This last time, we gave her some silkie eggs from a friend. They should have hatched on the 17th. we were going to seperate her before then, but after candling the eggs, 2 were blanks, and the third I wasnt sure of, well, we didnt move her. Sadly on the 15th, the questionable egg disappeared. (I think it hatched, and she couldnt defend against all the other hens, being so tiny.) This is why we built the hatching hutch!

Well, now this sweet little hen is still sitting on the two blank eggs... 29 days old. She defends and broods. I havent the heart to take them away, but I do check them for bad smells every day.

What do I do? She wouldnt take a new clutch would she? I mean, I know broodyness is a biological thing, and the hens body temp changes at different stages. She wouldnt really keep sitting on those eggs indefinetly would she? I even thought about putting chicks under her just to make her happy!

How long will she really sit?

edited to add;
I dont worry about her starving, she gets up every evening at treat time, and comes to get her share of the bread and veggies, just curious if I should take her eggs, or give her new?

 

[alagary]

My little easter egger hatched 14 , in the woods !

 

[farmerb]

My hen is currently setting on 5 eggs This is my first time to hatch any eggs.. It has been 28 days What should I do if nothing happens soon?

 

[chickenpiedpiper]

from what I have read, the 21 days is from the day the hen lays her last egg. Not her first. The hens body temp stays consistent until she lays the last egg, then rises, to bring all the eggs up to the same speed, so they all hatch at approx. the same time! So dont give up.

Did you candle them? I usually candle at 2 weeks, and again later if my hen doesnt mind....

 

[farmerb]

We used a couple of the other girls eggs will that matter

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
Actually its 21 days from the time she starts sitting. If she is staying on the eggs overnight/throughout the day she is no longer laying and new eggs are coming from other hens. Thus you need to mark the eggs she starts with or seperate her from the rest of the flock, or they will add eggs everyday.

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
The hen will not know whos eggs are whos, so another hens eggs will work fine. Mine hatch other breeds, and raise them as thier own. Ever see a bantam cochin with guineas that at about 5 weeks are bigger than mom, but they still try to squeeze under her to keep warm at night.

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
Have you candled them? If they were not fertile, there is nothing to do, if they are not developed you can toss those eggs, and try to get the mom to break her broodiness. I dont think it would be safe for her to try to set on another set of eggs that would be almost 2 months with vertually no activity.

Best case you counted wrong.

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
Twenty nine days is almost time for them to explode. Get them out quickly, but be carefull. That stink stays with you for days if you get it on you.

She may set for another clutch, I`ve had hens hatch 3 clutches.

Good luck.......Pop