I'm new to chickens, and this site!
I have 3 chooks, one has been broody so I popped some fertilized eggs underneath as a bit of a trial, we have friends with a farm who want chicks, and we're going to try our luck!
Chicks are due to hatch this week, today I arrived home from the shops to the chooks going crazy and the dog very excited. I popped my head in and saw my broody hen, Lacey, eating an egg/unborn chick. On further inspection I can see a few broken egg shells, a couple of eggs missing.
This is Tuesday, on Friday I noticed Lacey sitting on a different nesting box with just one egg in it, and her clutch was cold. So I pretty much have up hope then, but since then she's back on the nest.
My theory is that they were dead, so she's eating them (natural instinct?) or she's just a crazy cannibal.... Anyone else have a similar problem?
I'm thinking I'll grab an incubator next time!
I have 3 chooks, one has been broody so I popped some fertilized eggs underneath as a bit of a trial, we have friends with a farm who want chicks, and we're going to try our luck!
Chicks are due to hatch this week, today I arrived home from the shops to the chooks going crazy and the dog very excited. I popped my head in and saw my broody hen, Lacey, eating an egg/unborn chick. On further inspection I can see a few broken egg shells, a couple of eggs missing.
This is Tuesday, on Friday I noticed Lacey sitting on a different nesting box with just one egg in it, and her clutch was cold. So I pretty much have up hope then, but since then she's back on the nest.
My theory is that they were dead, so she's eating them (natural instinct?) or she's just a crazy cannibal.... Anyone else have a similar problem?
I'm thinking I'll grab an incubator next time!