Is it a bad idea to take eggs from a broody hen???

[mommyofthree]

I thought for sure my hen was a goner, she went "missing" 8 days ago and hasn't came to the coop at night and we didn't see her at all during the day. Tonight my hubby found her in a corner of the garage where our unused horse stall is. She was laying on 20 eggs, LOL. Since we don't have a rooster the eggs are not fertile. Hubby took the eggs and put her in the coop for the night. Was that a bad idea to take her off the eggs? Will she start hiding her eggs somewhere else? And if I were to get some fertile hatching eggs (which I am planning on doing) do you think she would lay on them?? It would beat buying an incubator.

I'm just sooo glad she is safe and alive.

 

[Tropical Chook]

Glad to hear your girl is okay. Yes, you can take the eggs away from her, and if you're lucky, it may even break her broodiness so she can start laying for you again. If you order fertilized eggs and place them in the nest, that alone won't make her go broody as it's more of a hormonal thing. Instead, you'll have to wait for her to go broody again, and then place eggs under her. If you can get hold of fertile eggs relatively quickly, you can leave one or two infertile eggs with her for the time being, and then when your fertile eggs arrive, you can swap them around with the infertile ones.

Hope this helps and good luck.

 

[MysticScorpio82]

The only reasons it would be bad to take the eggs from a broody hen is if:

1) You actually wanted the eggs to hatch

or

2) she has been sitting on the for a while - you are apt to discover a nasty suprise while making scrambled chicks *erm* eggs.

Taking the eggs from your hen will not effect her health-wise, however. And it may or may not break her broodiness so just keep an eye on her. Don't want her wander off again