Surprise on counter

Oh, that's hilarious! I hope all are doing well.

Well tonight she moved all the eggs again. I was hoping this time for her to hatch them out. Don't know which ones were hers since I've been letting 4 hens set and all the nest boxes are full to the brim right now. Guess tomorrow i will have to feed the pigs and let everyone start fresh.

You could try putting Ms. Broody in a cage by herself, give her a nest with eggs (dog dish or bowl works well). Then, when everyone goes to sleep tonight, slip those new chicks under her. She'll probably take care of them and raise them for you.

Wow. that is quite a tale. LOL.

You could also mark the eggs the broodies are setting,
that would avoid anyone making chick omelets.

Cute story, but practices like this is why we are required by law to candle all eggs before we can sell them off the farm.

If I don't know when an egg was laid, it gets tossed out for the hens or the dogs. Each nest gets checked every day and that way we can guarantee that any egg going into a carton was laid within the last 24 hour period.

Candle your eggs before you give them to the pigs. It isn't too hard to spot an egg ready to hatch.
Linda

EEEeeuuuw! your story got me gagging just thinking about cracking an egg into the frying pan and out falls a slimy partially developed chick.

I was going to ask what your method was for determining which are the fresh eggs.....I guess you don't have one yet. How do you know the eggs you sell aren't with developing chicks or even worse....rotten?
Always always mark the eggs the broodies are sitting on and then gather any unmarked ones every day
Another question - in your op you said you had 1 broody hen, in #5 you said you were letting 4 hens set and the nests were full..... how many are setting and where are the laying hens suppossed to lay their eggs then?
Another question lol - how warm is your house to be able to hatch eggs on the counter? You would think you would have heard them peeping when you gathered and washed them....
I'm just full of questions because I've never heard of this happening before

I separate our broodies immediately if I can. If they refuse (and return to the original nest site) I mark the eggs. I have problems with the other girls giving the broody hen the boot, then laying their eggs in her nest. She will return to the nest after they've gone. Since I've marked the eggs expected to hatch, I can easily remove the extras - but even these I throw out or cook for the dog since the broody may have sat on them for a couple of hours before I get to them. I take no chances with our customers. I need no lawsuit, nor bad rep.