eggs

EastTyrone

ok lads, ive a hen clocking past 2 days and i baught 13 eggs the night, when i go to put the eggs under the hen do I just set them all in at the one time or will i just add one at a time?

bertie1

Lift her off the eggs when you are feeding her and the rest , take the eggs she is currently on away & put in your fertile ones , she will settle back to them as soon as she is finished eating , mark your fertile eggs with a marker( that won't rub off) Other hens will try to lay in on top of her & she most likely will let them . If she gets too many she won't be able to keep them all covered

marizpan

U should Mark eggs first so u know them. She could add others herself. U need to put them all in together as u want them to hatch as close as possible timewise. When the first egg hatches the hen will wait up 12-24 hrs and them abandon the others. Those eggs will cool and die then.
13 eggs seems like too many to put under a hen. 6 eggs for an average sized hen gives the best success percentage.
If she's a good large hen it should be alright

EastTyrone

marizpan wrote: »

U should Mark eggs first so u know them. She could add others herself. U need to put them all in together as u want them to hatch as close as possible timewise. When the first egg hatches the hen will wait up 12-24 hrs and them abandon the others. Those eggs will cool and die then.
13 eggs seems like too many to put under a hen. 6 eggs for an average sized hen gives the best success percentage.
If she's a good large hen it should be alright

ive a big cochin hen, is that still too many? and ive already put them under her, if i take some out woud it be a waste off time now?

marizpan

She is a big hen. Should be will able to keep em warm. U'll know in 3 wks 