To me, this seems unusual;
Plymouth Rock goes broody on about 6 eggs. I mark the calendar "around" that time. We have two coops, one is older and smaller. This is where she starting sitting. To makes things less complicated and stressful, I closed this penned in area off from the other birds. But, long story short... some of the birds got in about 5 days later and laid 6 new eggs in the nest next to "Momma."
Here is where it gets weird; Momma leaves her eggs and sits on the new eggs. It may have been 30 minutes, it may have been 2 hours that the old eggs sat. I candled and saw big air sacs.. but they weren't warm anymore.
I gave her the old eggs (pushed them close) and later that night she had taken ALL of the eggs under her.
Fast forward to today.. it's day 17 of the "new eggs" and maaaybe day 20, 21 ,22, 23 of the "old eggs." I can't be absolutely sure of the exact day she started. And I was hesitant to mark the calendar (big mistake) because I didn't think she'd stick with it.
We have 40 layers and 4 roosters. 1 rooster doesn't mess with the hens much.. the others.. they stay busy.
This is what I'm thinking;
That first clutch is going to explode or hatch any day now.. at which point I couldn't decide if I should take the chicks and brood them until the new eggs hatched OR let the newer clutch die when the mother got off the nest to care for the first chicks.
It may not be an issue now, because it's still possible that she's laying A) infertile eggs or B) eggs that chilled.
So, should I hedge my bets on the second clutch now? Am I risking it all by leaving the first clutch in?
I'm unsure if I should let her sit another 4 days! She eats and drinks (I put food right up to the nest.. because she won't get up to do it).
This hen will NOT get up. And she bites! I know I should have marked those first eggs, darn!
One last thing; I'm in Alaska.. it doesn't get dark enough to candle until about 11p. I can't seem to stay up. Now, I feel like it's far enough along it doesn't matter, and I don't want to disturb her.
Thoughts?? I would love to hear any theories!!
Plymouth Rock goes broody on about 6 eggs. I mark the calendar "around" that time. We have two coops, one is older and smaller. This is where she starting sitting. To makes things less complicated and stressful, I closed this penned in area off from the other birds. But, long story short... some of the birds got in about 5 days later and laid 6 new eggs in the nest next to "Momma."
Here is where it gets weird; Momma leaves her eggs and sits on the new eggs. It may have been 30 minutes, it may have been 2 hours that the old eggs sat. I candled and saw big air sacs.. but they weren't warm anymore.
I gave her the old eggs (pushed them close) and later that night she had taken ALL of the eggs under her.
Fast forward to today.. it's day 17 of the "new eggs" and maaaybe day 20, 21 ,22, 23 of the "old eggs." I can't be absolutely sure of the exact day she started. And I was hesitant to mark the calendar (big mistake) because I didn't think she'd stick with it.
We have 40 layers and 4 roosters. 1 rooster doesn't mess with the hens much.. the others.. they stay busy.
This is what I'm thinking;
That first clutch is going to explode or hatch any day now.. at which point I couldn't decide if I should take the chicks and brood them until the new eggs hatched OR let the newer clutch die when the mother got off the nest to care for the first chicks.
It may not be an issue now, because it's still possible that she's laying A) infertile eggs or B) eggs that chilled.
So, should I hedge my bets on the second clutch now? Am I risking it all by leaving the first clutch in?
I'm unsure if I should let her sit another 4 days! She eats and drinks (I put food right up to the nest.. because she won't get up to do it).
This hen will NOT get up. And she bites! I know I should have marked those first eggs, darn!
One last thing; I'm in Alaska.. it doesn't get dark enough to candle until about 11p. I can't seem to stay up. Now, I feel like it's far enough along it doesn't matter, and I don't want to disturb her.
Thoughts?? I would love to hear any theories!!
