Broody Hen Day 19

[MedSchlFarmers]

One of my hens went broody. We don't have a rooster so I bought some fertilized eggs for her to sit on and try to hatch. 3 eggs have gone missing. Yesterday at Day 18 I found a dead chick and half the shell in the waterer. What happened?

Also, should/can I move her? She is up fairly high in one of our nesting boxes. She is now sitting on 6 fertilized eggs.

First timer. Any tips and help are appreciated, but please be kind to this newbie.

 

[bobbi-j]

Sounds like something is getting into her nest. My guess would be a rat or snake - they'll both steal eggs. I don't know what I'd do in your shoes at this point. I'd hate to move her and have her abandon the nest this close to hatch, but if you leave her, you may not have any eggs left anyway.

 

[MedSchlFarmers]

Thats good to know. Is her height from the ground a concern once chicks hatch? Also, the other eggs are a little dirty, maybe yolk from the "missing eggs"... could one of the chickens or this hen have eaten them? Is that normal? This baby chick that I found was mostly intact.

 

[Chicken Chat]

Thats good to know. Is her height from the ground a concern once chicks hatch? Also, the other eggs are a little dirty, maybe yolk from the "missing eggs"... could one of the chickens or this hen have eaten them? Is that normal? This baby chick that I found was mostly intact.

I agree with bobbi-j, I don't think I would move her before hatch in case she gets confused and leaves the eggs this close to hatch just to be on the safe side. You will need to move them from that upper nest once the babies hatch and she should stick to the new location once she has chicks. I have a couple of movable nests that I keep on floor level for mommas to raise chicks. Right now, I have 4 broodies and only one of them is in a lower nest. Complicates things.......
As far as the missing eggs and ejected chick, I have had other hens try to steal nestboxes before to try and lay eggs in, especially if they were broody in a favorite box. Eggs were broken. Is your broody in a favorite box?

 

[MedSchlFarmers]

It's funny, I purposely put all the fertile eggs in the least favorite nesting box, but due to her brooding, it has now because a favorite nesting box. However, good news.....mamma has successfully hatched 4 babies so far. There are only two fertile eggs left unhatched. Today is day 20. So glad I didn't move her! Thanks for the advice. Since we don't really have the space for her to safely raise them within the coop and run, we removed the four babies this evening and placed them in a brooder. I felt terrible doing it to her. She is still faithfully sitting on the other two.