Who will take the bait?

[CalgaryFarmer]

 

[CalgaryFarmer]

????

 

[CalgaryFarmer]

Ok. I figured out my chickens are too smart to fall for the old golf-balls-in-the-nest trick.

This is a different nest.

She has been in the nest for a good part of the day. I know you should wait for 2 consecutive nights but I am going to take a chance with her.

I am not sure what she is sitting on.

 

[CalgaryFarmer]

So I replaced the golf balls on the broody nest.

I should not have marked the eggs no one else will have access to the nest.

If she is still sitting at night, I will move her to the broody nest when it is dark.

 

[ShrekDawg]

That’s a lot of eggs

 

[CalgaryFarmer]

Thanks. Should I reduce it to 12. I read that is a good number.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thanks. Should I reduce it to 12. I read that is a good number.

I’m not sure. Maybe? I think the current number might be kind of hard for one hen to covere

 

[CalgaryFarmer]

I will reduce to 12 and check on her to see what she is covering.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Good idea

 

[Ridgerunner]

I typically give a hen 12 eggs the size she lays. She needs to be able to cover them well. I like to leave enough room for a couple of extra eggs in case some new ones show up, which can happen as I let them brood with the flock. I had one that had trouble covering 12 so I reduced it to 10. The most I've ever purposely given a hen was 15 eggs. She was a fat bottomed girl and had no problems.

I've had a hen hide a nest and bring off 18 chicks. I never found her nest so I have no idea how many eggs she had but she obviously could cover them all.

When a hen will be raising her chicks in cold weather I reduce the number of eggs some. I want her to be able to keep all of the chicks warm in cold weather after they have grown for a few weeks. In warm weather that is not a concern of mine.

Each hen is an individual with her own body build. Each situation is different. I try to go more by what I see than following specific numbers.

Good luck!