What Happened???

[ShellBell73]

So our hens (4 to be exact and very broody) have been laying on a ton of eggs for much longer than the 21 day incubation period and STILL no babies hatching. They’ve done a good job as far as we can tell; even taking turns when one needs a break. We’ve noticed some were pushed out of the nest, so we gently pushed them back in. Our hens just began laying eggs last November and wonder if it’s just that they’re new?? Can we expect a few hatchlings from over 40 eggs or no? Then tonight we found one that looked like this! Like a blue walnut (I know it’s from one of our bantams.

 

[nuthatched]

Do you have a rooster? If so, Have you been allowing other hens to just keep laying in the nest? syou possibly have eggs at all stages of development.

 

[ShellBell73]

Do you have a rooster? If so, Have you been allowing other hens to just keep laying in the nest? syou possibly have eggs at all stages of development.

Yes we do. This is the first time we’ve done this, so very excited but fearful. We’re going to do the warm water test in them to see where we’re at.

 

[nuthatched]

Yes we do. This is the first time we’ve done this, so very excited but fearful. We’re going to do the warm water test in them to see where we’re at.

Please do not do that, it doesn't work and it will kill them. use a strong flashlight and candle them.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

This is why it's advised to seperate broodies so other birds can't lay in the nest during brooding. Rhere are probably 21 different stages of development going on right now.

Plus if all 4 are on the same pile, they're probably cooking the eggswith all the body heat

 

[ShellBell73]

We have two different nests; one with three hens laying on their clutches and the nest next door with a hen laying on that clutch. We’ll see what happens; have the brooder box all ready to go for when they begin to hatch out.

 

[ShellBell73]

Oh dear we did it already; very swiftly and got the good eggs back under the mamas.

Please do not do that, it doesn't work and it will kill them. use a strong flashlight and candl