Bloody Egg Under Broody

[JacinLarkwell]

So unfortunately today i found an open, dead egg under mt hen. She had been eating the chick that was in there. She's never eaten eggs before and the chick was probably around 2 weeks into development. Enough to have down coloring but still rather small in the egg.

I know broodies will sometimes eat eggs that are dead or have something wrong with the embryo. Is this likely? There was a lot of blood in the shell and obviously the chick never had a chance.

Would she do this if she had too many eggs under her, instead if just not covering some of them?

Should I be really worried about this happening again? Or should I chalk it up to nature?

This is the hens first time with hatching eggs and they were already a bit developed when she got them. She's had them for about 2 days, and I know they may have lost some due to their circumstances.

So I guess this is half looking for answers and just half wanting to talk about it. I'm rather disappointed right now.

 

[AltonaAcres]

If there was a lot of blood the baby was still alive

 

[NorthernMIFlock]

That is sad and I’m sure disappointing. She may have crushed it accidentally while turning them, or maybe another hen with access to the nest did it. Either way, hens will peck and eat almost anything, especially with red blood . If it were my broody I would clean the nest as best I could and let her continue to sit, with just another week I would try to keep a close eye on things and check her eggs when she gets off the nest to dust bathe etc. Wishing you luck with the rest of the hatch!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

That is sad and I’m sure disappointing. She may have crushed it accidentally while turning them, or maybe another hen with access to the nest did it. Either way, hens will peck and eat almost anything, especially with red blood . If it were my broody I would clean the nest as best I could and let her continue to sit, with just another week I would try to keep a close eye on things and check her eggs when she gets off the nest to dust bathe etc. Wishing you luck with the rest of the hatch!

She had blood on her beak. I get rid if the egg and checked everything else. Nothing else seemed worrying, I'm putting everyone away in like a half hour so ilk check again then. I'm hoping this was a fluke because I can't do anything else with these eggs. I don't really know if she even gets off the nest for more than to turd and drink. I have to give her food since she's lost all her possible excess weight.

 

[Yep I Talk To Chickens]

Keep us posted. I heard in the wild the hens have to eat the crushed eggs etc. Because they would draw predators near

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I'm really hoping she just ate it and didn't kill it. This little season has been really disappointing so far, with 2 chicks out of 4 making it, 8 (now 7) eggs being abandoned and 3 nest attempts being eaten before they even start brooding.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Oh! I just realized something I wonder if this was the egg I thought was twins! I had one egg that looked like there might have been two little beings inside. I wonder if one died and that triggered all this.....

 

[Yep I Talk To Chickens]

I had a broody that hatched 1 chick out of a dozen eggs.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Normally my pheonixes are excellent mothers. This is the smallest hatch from them I've ever had

 

[Yep I Talk To Chickens]

Thia year I had a new rimer who went broody ahe didn't even stay on for a week. And then my other mom only hatches 1 chick. Whats up with this year?