1st Time Broody Hen - Broken eggs stuck to her - What to do?

[Enchanted1s]

We have a very young hen - started laying and within 2 weeks was Broody - sitting on a clutch of 6 eggs. Tonight, there are only 4 eggs. Two of the eggs were apparently broken and she has remained sitting on them. She has the shells and contents stuck to her belly. The chicks are due to hatch on the 17th. What should I do about her dirty feathers and belly. Our first thought was to bring her in for a warm bath, but I don't want to stress her (she has never had a bath).

I pulled her out tonight and she just sat at my feet picking off what shell she could while I cleaned her nest and candled the remaining 4 eggs. It was almost dark so I just put her back in for tonight. It is colder this week than it has been - I believe the high tomorrow is around 63.

TIA

 

[jonezjollyfarm]

Are the other eggs dirty with yolk and what not.

 

[pennyJo1960]

if you want put a wall around her so others cannot bother her but also mark the eggs so when she runs off with others you know what are hers

 

[staceyj]

Maybe a warm washcloth would do the trick
Followed by a dry towel.

 

[Enchanted1s]

Are the other eggs dirty with yolk and what not.

No - the remaining 4 eggs are fine and don't appear to be soiled - just the hen.
@penny1960 She is separated from the others in her own maternity ward.
@staceyj We might try that tomorrow but it is really dried on her.

Like I said - my first thought was to give her a bath - but I am not sure as that might stress her out as she has never even been in the house. Also, I read on here somewhere that when trying to break a broody you can try putting them in water. We don't want her to leave the nest as she has four eggs that look like they have developing chicks - due in about a week.

 

[Justso]

I am a vote for no bath. Would wet feathers change her temperature?
I would wager this issue happens in nature and the hatching will be fine.
I'll keep watching your posts.

 

[pennyJo1960]

then do not move or bath her she will clean herself do put little marks on the eggs if she steals others you will not know them

 

[L1sa]

The same thing happened to my broody, it was a bit of a mess!! But I just did what you did, picked off the majority of the shell and mess that I could and then left her and within a couple of days she had cleaned the rest off herself.

 

[jonezjollyfarm]

I would just let her be as long as the eggs arent caked with yolk. These things happen. My original broody hen did that. I have too many chickens so if I cant convince then to not be broody I only give them 1 egg at a time. Shes the type that will not get off the nest for any reason and she was mad I had gotten her up to go to the bathroom. When I put her back in the nest she jumped and landed on the egg and it broke... so sad to see the little chick (which was like 8 days incubated) try to take a breath. And then she tried to eat it . Anyway your eggs should be fine as long as they arent icky.

 

[Enchanted1s]

Today, we were able to get a better view of our mess. Poor thing, she has yolk all the way up in her wings. We cut out what we could with scissors. The eggs do have some yuck on them, but nothing caked on - we left the eggs alone. EIGHT more days to go!

SO... I read that a broody's chicks are allowed in the flock at the same position the mother hen is. Our little broody is at the very bottom of the pecking order in our little flock. She is also the youngest. The others are not very nice to her - make her eat last - always running her off when she tries to dust bathe. Will she be able to integrate the chicks? I'm thinking she may need to be separated with the chicks until they are sold??