Three broodies with 10 eggs under each! Oh MY!

[JayDe]

It seems the egg collector went on strike and so my chickens went broody. I have 8 hens and 1 rooster in that coop. They are Orpingtons and mixed Orp/EEs. The broodies are two Orpingtons & 1 mix (The two Orps are my sweetest most tame girls) The coop is basically a large shed up on blocks with the inside converted with 4 nestboxes they don't use with an attached run. The broodies are on the floor with their eggs under the nestboxes. They have switched spots on the piles a couple of times. I have never had chicks out in the coops before so I'm not sure how to handle the situation. I'm thinking they might not even hatch because of the numbers of eggs under the girls. I'm in Fl so its rather warm 85-95 during the day and 70s/80s at night. I did candle some of the light colored eggs and there is life within. They are around day 10, I think--but may all be different. I can't candle all of them successfully because my orpington eggs are hard to see through as are the olive eggers.

My questions are: Should I try to gather up chicks as they hatch because of the other chickens in the coop and put them in a brooder? My husband thinks we should just let nature take its course since this is an unplanned "pregnancy". We will be giving away all the chicks soon after they are hatched bc we don't have the room for more chickens. I do have a brooder big enough for 20 or so chicks if need be.

Will they hatch with large piles? I can't count them without stressing out the girls but I'd estimate that each has 10 or more under them. There are always a couple poking out from under them...should I try to wittle down the numbers?

Thanks!

Jess

 

[peepmommy]

If I were you, i would just section off a corner of the coop with some chicken wire and let nature take it's course. After they hatch you could move hens and chicks to the "nursery" area for a little. There may be some bad ones, but you will be surprised about how many will hatch out! (especially since your temperatures are so mild anyway). Good luck and I can't wait to hear how it's going!