A Broody Question

[Laurajean]

This is my first year with chickens, and this is their first winter (they were born last May). They've been laying now for a while and have shown no interest in their eggs. I just take them and they don't care. Today I went out to find a Silkie in one of the nesting boxes. Once she got up I discovered 5 eggs beneath her, 2 of them Bantam eggs and 3 of them from my RIR.

I don't know much about broodiness but have a couple of questions. I tried searching the forum but didn't see my specific questions answered.

1. Is it okay to just take the eggs? I don't want them hatched. I took them and she wandered around the coop looking for them and seemed mildly bothered but not very upset. Will she just go back to normal or will this harm her in some way by taking the eggs?

2. How did all those eggs get in that one nest box under her? They never lay eggs in the same place, always random. Did she actually MOVE all the eggs to that box, including the 3 large RIR eggs? Or do the other chickens now lay them there because she's hanging out on them?

Anything else I should know about broodiness? I've heard things about golf balls, etc. Should I put something like that out there instead or simply take her eggs? What is the purpose of putting fake eggs in?

Thanks for any input.

 

[dandelionheart]

Fake eggs are just to help them know where the nest is... chickens generally like to lay where the others do. I wouldn't put the fake eggs or golf balls under a broody unless you want to keep her that way. I don't think it will psychologically scar her to take her eggs everyday though. I've heard of hens moving eggs... but never seen it. I've seen eggs in our nest box hallway but I've always figured that they were layed there or were just kicked out or something... Good luck though. I hope more experienced people will give you more info!

 

[Pinky]

It will only annoy her if you take her eggs.If you have no rooster or if the eggs have not been in the nest for very long you can take the eggs and none will have any growth in them. Most broody hens will continue to sit on a nest until they get chicks.

 

[Laurajean]

Quote:
I DO have a rooster, although none of the eggs felt warm, even though she was clearly sitting on them.

I know if she is broody she will want to sit on them until she gets chicks, but I guess my question is more: Is there any harm to the chicken to take the eggs away everyday?

"annoyed" is fine, I just don't want her sitting there on nothing, starving or anything. I don't know how it works once you take the eggs away.

 

[Pinky]

It will probably just annoy her, and she may continue to sit in the nest. I have heard silkies are very persistent about being broody.