# Broody hen day 23



## SmithFarmily

I have a hen that went broody for a while and after about almost 2 weeks of sitting on her eggs my son mistakenly took her eggs and we weren’t sure which ones they were so got rid of the whole basket. 
she laid some more eggs as did some of the other chickens in the same box and she is still in that same box. It has been 24 days since my son took her last batch of eggs soi figure it is day 22 or 23 since she laid? When do we force her to get up and give up? We have 2 roosters so I’m sure they are fertilized right? There is no way to candle them without removing the eggs from the coop which I’d rather not do


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## AlleysChicks

Why? You collect eggs anyway? There's nothing wrong with removing eggs to candle.


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## SmithFarmily

Will she reject them when I go to put them back? Do I need to be sure how I place them back under her?


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## AlleysChicks

SmithFarmily said:


> Will she reject them when I go to put them back? Do I need to be sure how I place them back under her?


Collect them, and stick a couple fresh under her. So she has something. Candle the ones she was sitting on and mark them before putting them back. That way no mix up.  I've done this several times with no problems


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## Beekissed

SmithFarmily said:


> I have a hen that went broody for a while and after about almost 2 weeks of sitting on her eggs my son mistakenly took her eggs and we weren’t sure which ones they were so got rid of the whole basket.
> she laid some more eggs as did some of the other chickens in the same box and she is still in that same box. It has been 24 days since my son took her last batch of eggs soi figure it is day 22 or 23 since she laid? When do we force her to get up and give up? We have 2 roosters so I’m sure they are fertilized right? There is no way to candle them without removing the eggs from the coop which I’d rather not do



She didn't lay more after you took her last batch....when a chicken is broody, she no longer lays eggs.   What you have is a nest filled with eggs at all stages by chickens laying in the nest she's in, so there's no telling when any of them will hatch.   It won't be all at the same time, as eggs have been laid in it each day for 2 wks.  

You need to separate her into a place where no other chickens can keep laying fresh eggs in her nest if you want her to hatch out any.   Then, give her fresh eggs, as many as you want her to hatch, and start all over.  It won't hurt her a bit to sit that long, she will get up and eat and drink if she needs to do so if you have it available in her broody area.  

If you leave the eggs she currently has under her, you will have a few hatch out and after a day or so, she will get off the rest of the eggs to start mothering the few that hatched....the rest will then die.  If you put them in an incubator, you will have a staggered hatch and will be trying to raise chicks of all ages....if that doesn't bother you, you can do that.   

Or, as she hatches the chicks, you can remove them to a brooder until she hatches ALL the eggs....which could take a few weeks or so, then put all the chicks back in with her during the night.  She would likely mother them all but if you have a free range situation, the younger chicks won't be able to keep up with the older ones and the hen will not likely wait for them to keep up.   

Best when you can identify a broody early on, separate her into an area other hens can't reach and give her a whole clutch to sit so they are all hatched at the same time.   Just works out much better for her, for you and for the chicks.


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## SmithFarmily

Beekissed said:


> She didn't lay more after you took her last batch....when a chicken is broody, she no longer lays eggs.   What you have is a nest filled with eggs at all stages by chickens laying in the nest she's in, so there's no telling when any of them will hatch.   It won't be all at the same time, as eggs have been laid in it each day for 2 wks.
> 
> You need to separate her into a place where no other chickens can keep laying fresh eggs in her nest if you want her to hatch out any.   Then, give her fresh eggs, as many as you want her to hatch, and start all over.  It won't hurt her a bit to sit that long, she will get up and eat and drink if she needs to do so if you have it available in her broody area.
> 
> If you leave the eggs she currently has under her, you will have a few hatch out and after a day or so, she will get off the rest of the eggs to start mothering the few that hatched....the rest will then die.  If you put them in an incubator, you will have a staggered hatch and will be trying to raise chicks of all ages....if that doesn't bother you, you can do that.
> 
> Or, as she hatches the chicks, you can remove them to a brooder until she hatches ALL the eggs....which could take a few weeks or so, then put all the chicks back in with her during the night.  She would likely mother them all but if you have a free range situation, the younger chicks won't be able to keep up with the older ones and the hen will not likely wait for them to keep up.
> 
> Best when you can identify a broody early on, separate her into an area other hens can't reach and give her a whole clutch to sit so they are all hatched at the same time.   Just works out much better for her, for you and for the chicks.


This makes so much sense. Thank you! We should have some hatch soon I am assuming if she’s been in there on someone’s eggs for 23 ish days though right? I guess there is no telling if the early ones took though. Ah!


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## Beekissed

SmithFarmily said:


> This makes so much sense. Thank you! We should have some hatch soon I am assuming if she’s been in there on someone’s eggs for 23 ish days though right? I guess there is no telling if the early ones took though. Ah!


You might want to borrow an incubator and finish them off in a bator, then give them all to her as they hatch if you don't want to lose most of them to her getting off the nest to mother the first few.  Candle them all, give her the ones closest to hatching, incubate the rest and give them to her at night as each one hatches.   That would be the least stressful solution.


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## Jesusfreak101

I second what beekissed said. Incubator is your friend in this situation. I had a few that after three hatched they decide when those dried they were done sitting but hard close to ten more to hatch thankfully I was able to move under another hen. Who finished them off along with hers but i did have one that nearly didn't make it because it was mid hatch when momma left it so the chick got cold as soon as it popped out i end up saving it but barely


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## SmithFarmily

I think you guys are right. I was just looking for an incubator and found one at tractor supply. My boys and I just checked on the girls again and my 2 broody girls swapped nests. Is this normal?


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## Jesusfreak101

I had it happen a few times I also had girls that two sit on one nest.


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## Simpleterrier

I like broody hens I put 10 eggs under them. We pull the chicks as they hatch untill the last one hatches then shove them all back under. Last year we were 39/40 that lived to be sold as starting pullets or roos. I like the roos better I can take them to auction and make twice what u get out of a pullets.


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## Beekissed

SmithFarmily said:


> I think you guys are right. I was just looking for an incubator and found one at tractor supply. My boys and I just checked on the girls again and my 2 broody girls swapped nests. Is this normal?



Yep.....you may also find both on the same nest and the other nest left to the cold.   That can also happen if you house them together and one hatches chicks but the other has not yet.....often they will get off the nest and try to mother the other hen's chicks, there will be fighting between them and they will eventually split the chicks or just mother them together, but the other nest of eggs will go abandoned.   Been there, done all of that.   

Best to separate those girls and give each defined space.   If you want to join them after all chicks have hatched it won't hurt a thing, but I wouldn't have them together while sitting the eggs.


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## SmithFarmily

Ok I got the incubator but I read I need to increase humidity and stop turning the eggs at 3 days to hatch but I have no clue what stage any of the eggs are at so what level  do you recommend I should have the humidity at and to turn or not to turn??


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## Duckfarmerpa1

Simpleterrier said:


> I like broody hens I put 10 eggs under them. We pull the chicks as they hatch untill the last one hatches then shove them all back under. Last year we were 39/40 that lived to be sold as starting pullets or roos. I like the roos better I can take them to auction and make twice what u get out of a pullets.


Wow..no one wants the Roos here...I can’t buy a pullet anywhere!!


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## Duckfarmerpa1

SmithFarmily said:


> Ok I got the incubator but I read I need to increase humidity and stop turning the eggs at 3 days to hatch but I have no clue what stage any of the eggs are at so what level  do you recommend I should have the humidity at and to turn or not to turn??


These are such tough questions..I started a hatch last week..screwed up royally!!  My temp went wayyyy too high...up to 103.8, couldn’t get it down, humidity was too low...48%..couldnt get it up...then, last night...after five days of stress..I realized...I didn’t have the egg turner plugged in!!  Ughhhhh!!  I had to throw the whole batch of my little guys that I’ve been loving on, all away!!  Restarting....but, getting the Bator set up RIGHT this time..first!!  I had went to BYC, for help...ugh again.  Sooo much conflicted advice.  Had my head spinning.  I finally asked my friend who’s done million hatches...she’s going to talk me through this one...


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## SmithFarmily

Ahh it’s all so finicky and stressful! Let me know what your friend says. I am at a complete loss and am praying I didn’t just spend all this money on the incubator or nothing!


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## Beekissed

SmithFarmily said:


> Ok I got the incubator but I read I need to increase humidity and stop turning the eggs at 3 days to hatch but I have no clue what stage any of the eggs are at so what level  do you recommend I should have the humidity at and to turn or not to turn??



Just keep it steady at the regular humidity, don't worry too much about turning too often, just every now and again and play it by ear.   You may lose some, but you are bound to lose some if you don't incubate, so it is what it is.  

 Let this be a learning time....next time you get a broody and want to hatch out chicks, get her to her own place and load her up with eggs so you won't have all these headaches.   Broodies will give you headaches enough without adding to it.


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