Will a hen lay until there is a pile of eggs?

[Johnchickens2]

If eggs aren't collected from the nest, will the hen keep laying and laying until she can't cover anymore? Doesn't a full nest trigger broodiness immediatly (in the breeds that brood)??
On of my hens just keeps laying and doesnt go broody! She can reach to 20 eggs in the nest without even showing signs of broody! But I was ALWAYS told, here and in other places, that once a hen has a nest of her own that is full with a clutch of eggs, she will brood ...

 

[user651618]

I've found secret egg stashes with 30-40 eggs and nobody bothering to sit them. I think they just go and go.

 

[CrspyChkn]

Not all hens will become broody, even in breeds that are prone to brooding. They will just keep laying if they don’t go broody.

 

[nuthatched]

Can you link where you've been told that a full nest makes a hen broody? I've never seen it suggested here by anyone with experience.
Whoever says a full nest makes a hen broody is misguided. It can *suggest* a hen to go broody if she goes broody easy but it doesn't make a hen broody.
That's a hormone thing.
Chickens are cumulative layers, she sees a bunch of eggs so she knows it's safe to lay there and will continue to lay there.
She only has that many eggs because they aren't being taken.
I'd recommend you throw out the eggs, they're no good.

 

[Johnchickens2]

But I don't understand - was told a broody behavior should come after a hen finishes to lays a clutch, right? So you mean a single clutch can be endless??? Then what is a clutch she needs to finish?

 

[Johnchickens2]

Can you link where you've been told that a full nest makes a hen broody? I've never seen it suggested here by anyone with experience.
Whoever says a full nest makes a hen broody is misguided. It can *suggest* a hen to go broody if she goes broody easy but it doesn't make a hen broody.
That's a hormone thing.
Chickens are cumulative layers, she sees a bunch of eggs so she knows it's safe to lay there and will continue to lay there.
She only has that many eggs because they aren't being taken.
I'd recommend you throw out the eggs, they're no good.

Thanks! After how many days in the nest should an egg be thrown?

 

[nuthatched]

Thanks! After how many days in the nest should an egg be thrown?

If it's summer, 3 days, I'd throw them all out as they also lose moisture as they get older.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you're hoping to induce broodiness you really should be collecting all the actual eggs and using a few fakes to make a "clutch." Wait until you have a confirmed broody before putting real eggs under her. You're just going to be tossing dozens of eggs at this rate and may never have a hen willing to set on them.