Worried about some eggs hatching before others

[The_Chicken_Tender]

So I know you are supposed to only give the broody marked eggs so others don't lay theirs in the same nest but ... It didn't exactly happen that way. I gave my hen 6 eggs all laid on the same day, and then I put some more in from the next day, but I forgot to mark them and there was some more confusion and there may be eggs under there that are three or four days younger than the others? This is day eleven (for the original six at least) and most of them seem to be developing, but since I am new at this I can't tell if some seem more developed than others. All the eggs are marked now, but they are not all the same age. Is there any way to incubate them without an incubator if my hen leaves before they can hatch??

 

[Pierre duck drake]

So I know you are supposed to only give the broody marked eggs so others don't lay theirs in the same nest but ... It didn't exactly happen that way. I gave my hen 6 eggs all laid on the same day, and then I put some more in from the next day, but I forgot to mark them and there was some more confusion and there may be eggs under there that are three or four days younger than the others? This is day eleven (for the original six at least) and most of them seem to be developing, but since I am new at this I can't tell if some seem more developed than others. All the eggs are marked now, but they are not all the same age. Is there any way to incubate them without an incubator if my hen leaves before they can hatch??

Broodiness is VERY contagious. So you will likely have more broody hens soon! Can I see a picture of all the eggs when you are candling them?

 

[The_Chicken_Tender]

Broodiness is VERY contagious. So you will likely have more broody hens soon! Can I see a picture of all the eggs when you are candling them?

I don't know, she has been broody for over a month (we locked out of the nest during the day until we decided to let her just do it) and no one else seems interested. I only have a pic of one right now, I'll get some more tomorrow and share them here. One of the eggs actually looked kind of weird. It had the normally air pocket at the top, but one whole side from end to end also had air. I also thought I saw veins, but I don't know what that means. I'll post a pic tomorrow.

 

[Pierre duck drake]

I don't know, she has been broody for over a month (we locked out of the nest during the day until we decided to let her just do it) and no one else seems interested. I only have a pic of one right now, I'll get some more tomorrow and share them here. One of the eggs actually looked kind of weird. It had the normally air pocket at the top, but one whole side from end to end also had air. I also thought I saw veins, but I don't know what that means. I'll post a pic tomorrow.

If you separate them the other hens will not go broody. We're your eggs shiped?

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Have you checked sites like Craigslist, the marketplace, etc? Sometimes you'll find a used incubator for a more affordable price. You'll also find articles right here on BYC about homemade incubators. If your hen started sitting all day and night (with the exception of getting up 2 to 3 times a day for pooping, drinking, eating, dustbathing, etc) on the day you gave her the initial 6 eggs, the other eggs will probably not hatch with the first ones. If your hen didn't start sitting full time until the other eggs were added, they should still hatch together. You can find pictures of development on the internet but a couple of days difference will be much more difficult to see at this point. If I were you, I'd be on the lookout for an incubator asap. I wish you the best with your broody hen and all of those developing eggs

 

[The_Chicken_Tender]

If you separate them the other hens will not go broody. We're your eggs shiped?

She's actually not separated. I will move the others to a different coop when her eggs hatch though. And the eggs came from our hens.

 

[The_Chicken_Tender]

Have you checked sites like Craigslist, the marketplace, etc? Sometimes you'll find a used incubator for a more affordable price. You'll also find articles right here on BYC about homemade incubators. If your hen started sitting all day and night (with the exception of getting up 2 to 3 times a day for pooping, drinking, eating, dustbathing, etc) on the day you gave her the initial 6 eggs, the other eggs will probably not hatch with the first ones. If your hen didn't start sitting full time until the other eggs were added, they should still hatch together. You can find pictures of development on the internet but a couple of days difference will be much more difficult to see at this point. If I were you, I'd be on the lookout for an incubator asap. I wish you the best with your broody hen and all of those developing eggs

Yeah, she's been sitting full time the entire time she's had eggs so I will probably look into making an incubator. Thanks

 

[Cynthia12]

Yeah, she's been sitting full time the entire time she's had eggs so I will probably look into making an incubator. Thanks

Ooo..over a month laying..make sure she's eating. Drinking.

 

[The_Chicken_Tender]

Ooo..over a month laying..make sure she's eating. Drinking.

Yeah, before the 22nd which was when we actually gave her eggs, we took her out so she had plenty of food and water and only let her back in at night when everyone was ready to roost. So she's only been sitting full time for about ten/eleven days.

 

[The_Chicken_Tender]

So four or five (I can't tell exactly) have hatched so far. One did yesterday morning, and some yesterday afternoon. I've read that absorbing the yolk before hatching gives them 24 hours of nutrients and hydration, but I am worried they are hungry now. I don't think my broody has got up in two or three days, and I know she is hungry. I gave her some pellets out of my hand and some water, but she hasn't got off the nest. Should I pull her off and let her eat/drink/poop? There are still eggs in there, and I don't want her to leave them, but I don't want her or her chicks to starve! The chicks also ate some crumbles from my hand, so I know they are hungry right now.