It's official: twelve eggs are under a very determined hen, and the rest of us just have to wait. The original poster ran in while she was eating, a small window of opportunity, and marked the stash. Broody mode has been fully engaged. For anyone who has ever tried to mark a broody hen's eggs without losing a finger, that move deserves respect.
This is the part of chicken keeping that feels both magical and slightly unhinged. You know she's going to sit there for three weeks, puffed up like a tiny feathered gargoyle, hissing at your hand as if you've personally offended her ancestors. And you're going to check those eggs twice a day, whispering "please be fertile" like you're casting a spell. The poster didn't say whether these eggs came from a rooster they own or from a neighbor's wandering boy, but that's part of the fun. We're all in suspense together.
What does this mean for you, the reader who might be staring at your own broody hen right now? Practical advice: mark the eggs clearly, because if you don't, she'll accidentally roll a two-week-old egg into the nest and you'll have a science experiment instead of a chick. Give her a dedicated spot away from other hens, because nothing shatters the peace like a hen defending her nest with the fury of a thousand crows. And stock up on patience, she will not appreciate your concern. She's busy.
If you came to us and asked, "Should I let her hatch them?" we'd say it depends on what you want. If you have a rooster and you're ready for more noise, more mess, and the absolute joy of watching a tiny beak break through a shell, go for it. If you don't have a rooster, those eggs are just expensive chicken-sitters. Either way, the countdown is on. Twenty-one days from now, that broody hen will either be a proud mama or a very grumpy bird who just spent three weeks on a decoy. The poster will be there, checking the calendar and probably naming each potential chick already. We'll be watching.