Unexpected Extra Eggs Under My Broody, Will She Hatch Them All?

[GoldenComb]

We originally thought we had two broody hens, so we split a clutch of 10 eggs between themfive each. However, later that day, one hen abandoned her eggs, clearly not fully committed. I moved all ten eggs under our dedicated broody, a Barred Rock, who seemed determined to sit.

Fast forward three days, and when I checked on her, she somehow had thirteen eggs! Since its unlikely she stole them from another nest (given our setup), I assume other hens laid eggs on top of her.

Now Im wonderingwill she be able to hatch all of them, given that three are about three days behind the others? Once chicks start hatching, will she stay on the nest long enough for the later ones to develop, or will she abandon them to care for the hatched chicks?

Id love to hear from those who have dealt with staggered hatches! What should I expect, and is there anything I should do to help?

[FarmyardSage]

I'd be prepared with an incubator. Once the first chicks hatch, she may abandon the remaining eggs, and you'll need to finish them yourself if you want a chance at a full hatch.

[EggHarvester]

She's got 13 eggs now,are you sure she can even cover them all properly? If not, some may not develop well anyway. I'd check to make sure they're all staying warm.

[BarnyardBoss]

It depends on the hen! Some will stay put, others will get up as soon as the first chicks hatch. If she's a first-time broody, I wouldn't count on her waiting.

[EggSentinel]

She'll probably sit for a day or two after the first chicks hatch, but after that, she'll leave the nest to care for them. The later eggs may not get a chance to hatch unless you intervene.

[PoultryPassion]

Some hens will continue sitting longer, especially if they're really committed, but most will prioritize the live chicks. If the younger eggs are close to hatching, she *might* stick it out.

[CoopAlchemist]

In my experience, hens usually leave the later eggs behind once the first chicks are running around. If you really want to save the later ones, an incubator is your best bet.

[SunkenHarvest]

You might want to mark the eggs she's already sitting on and remove any new ones daily to avoid even more staggered ages. Some hens will let other birds lay in their nest!

[RusticHen]

We originally thought we had two broody hens, so we split a clutch of 10 eggs between themfive each. However, later that day, one hen abandoned her eggs, clearly not fully committed. I moved all ten eggs under our dedicated broody, a Barred Rock, who seemed determined to sit.

Fast forward three days, and when I checked on her, she somehow had thirteen eggs! Since its unlikely she stole them from another nest (given our setup), I assume other hens laid eggs on top of her.

Now Im wonderingwill she be able to hatch all of them, given that three are about three days behind the others? Once chicks start hatching, will she stay on the nest long enough for the later ones to develop, or will she abandon them to care for the hatched chicks?

Id love to hear from those who have dealt with staggered hatches! What should I expect, and is there anything I should do to help?

One option is to remove the first chicks as they hatch and brood them yourself. That way, she stays focused on sitting, but this only works if she's patient enough to keep going.

[Eggspresso]

I'd just wait and see. If she abandons the later eggs, then you decide if it's worth hatching them yourself. Sometimes it's easier to let nature take its course.