Broodies on eggs? Broodies with babies? Post here.

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Found another broken egg today. Still not sure how many she's sitting on; tried to pick her up but she wasn't very happy and I didn't want to risk more broken eggs. I did manage to check to see that her back end wasn't stuck with poop (which I read on another thread) so that's good. I've been giving her a little scratch each day but she doesn't always eat it. I don't give her grit. If she needs it, she can get down and get some.

Candling is simple if you have a good candling light. I put the light at the little end of the egg and shine it up. At 7 days, you should see veining and a small black dot. If you don't see anything, try again at 10 days and you should definitely see something. If the egg is totally clear, toss it.

 

[gckiddhouse]

Do tell about what you read about her back end being stuck with poop. Or post the thread link. Mine is not pooping. Could this be the problem?

I don't know if any eggs are broken, should I be looking?

I have got her in the back of a dog crate and I have to crawl in there with her to do anything, and I just avoid doing that. It upsets her.

I have Marans eggs, do you think I can see anything by candling them???

Oooooh, the suspense is just killing me!!

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Here's the link:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=133241&p=1

I haven't seen mine poop either but then again I'm not home all day. I did check her butt today and it looked ok to me. I think she might be eating the eggs because every few days I'm finding a half shell with the insides gone in the nest but outside her body. I'm ok with that if it keeps her healthy and there's a bunch of eggs there anyway.

I've never had maran eggs; I know they are dark but I candle some pretty dark eggs and can still see the black spot. The veining might be tricky to see though.

 

[gckiddhouse]

Quote:
Okay, that was awful!

I am going out in the morning to check her vent and make her walk around for a while. I will bring her an apple, too.

Now I am really worried. She hasn't pooped in 2 days, well, 3 actually. She pooped Friday night. Oh my! The poor thing!

How much to intervene?! I wasn't going to at all, but I will definitely go out and make sure she is okay.

 

[egggarden]

I have a broody BO and a broody cochin/buff leghorn cross. Yesterday I moved them to separate nesting boxes and gave them each a hard-boiled egg to sit on until I give them their "real" eggs. I plan to set eggs under them early next week. I shoo them off once a day to eat, poop, and drink. They usually spend a little time dust-bathing and preening before puffing up and cluck-clucking their way back to the nests. I am curious to see if they will each return to their own nest!

 

[lauriemike]

I have a broody Buff Orpington and a broody bantam cochin. I ordered a mixed batch of eggs last Sunday for them because I wanted some Ameraucanas and Marans and didn't want to have to raise the chicks myself - I wanted mama to do it. The egg provider was having a slow period, so the eggs didn't go out until Thursday and they still aren't here and I am sooo frustrated!!! (and of course the Post office hasn't updated the tracking info since Thursday) I want those eggs and I know those ladies need something to do. Yesterday there were fresh BO eggs, so I left a couple under each, expecting my eggs would be here. I'm hoping it will be okay.

My Buffs are 10 months old. They began laying late September and on November 4 I had 20 chicks. We had thought the mama hen got eaten by a bobcat, but she had gone broody and hid up under a boat. I'm sure the other hens were helping her fill her nest because there were 22 eggs - 2 fully matured but couldn't escape the eggs and because I had absolutely no clue about her being broody I couldn't help. We lost 2 of the chicks, but now have 18 BO youngsters mixed in with the 7 older pullets. I know the broody hen will be a wonderful mom. I just wish I knew if it was the same one who hatched all the others!

Glad I can share the information others are providing. It makes me feel a little better. I was worrying about the egg viability, but it sounds like they'll be fine as long as they get here tomorrow...

 

[smom1976]

Ok so I just candled her eggs again.. I did it two days ago, maybe three.. the three flooded eggs are still alive and growing.. they are getting bigger in the egg.. there are two other eggs that i think are developing as well.. I am not good enough to see veining so I have to wait to get dark objects LOL .. I will mark them next time I do it .. I said i was going to do that this time.. But I read the post about shooing her off the eggs for a time .. so I went out and did.. candled her eggs real quick while she streched her leggs.. she pooped and scratched and preened a little then I put her back in her crate and she went right to her eggies..

Good little hen

 

[gckiddhouse]

Quote:
Oh, I am so glad to hear about your eggs. Wow, that hen is a trooper!!! And so are those eggs~
I guess they have to be resilient to survive!

I am going out to check on my broody who hasn't pooped since friday night. I may bring her a nice plate of apple/yogurt/cooked egg/scratch for her to work on today. I don't think she is eating well.

Will update when I get back.

 

[gckiddhouse]

Well, my hen pooped!!!

Hey!! Did you all know that chickens can do somersaults? Well, mine did!! I pulled her out and made her walk around a bit. She kept trying to get back to her nest, but I kept blocking her. Then she finally pooped and I let her back in. As she was getting back on her nest, I started to turn on my video camera to film how she gets settled, which is so cute. I am sorry to say that i just didn't get it turned on in time to catch her gymnastics.

As she stood over her eggs, she started moving them with her beak. she notice one behind her that she wanted to move, so she stuck her head way under/between her legs and just stretched ever so slowly trying to get her beak behind that egg, and ooooover she went, @$$ over teakettle and layed there for a few seconds, legs flailing.

Then she clumsily got herself up and back on the eggs. This time, she just sat down. She actually seemed a little embarrassed!!

I am so sorry I didn't get the camera turned on in time. Isn't that just the way it goes!!!?

Anyway, there were 2 of my Marans eggs out of the nest. They were in a sort of hole outside the nest. It was almost as if she dug the hole (and there was nest material strewn that would support that) and the 2 eggs were in the hole. What do you make of that??

I have heard some of you say you wonder if they can tell if the eggs are duds. I wonder if I will have 2 Marans eggs that are duds. I should have marked them.

I gave her some cooked egg, apple, yogurt, and flax seeds. She gobbled up the egg. I will begiving her more of that if she will eat it. Keep some weight on that girl. She looked otherwise healthy, her vent clean.

I also filled her feeder with scratch. I may go add some sand as she does not have a source for grit in there.

So all seems to be well. Whew!!

 

[gckiddhouse]

Here is my hen, Penny, setting my Marans, Ameraucana, and mutt eggs. The two eggs I found out of the nest were under the red tray which I gave her scratch in yesterday.

smom1976, see, just like yours. Funny, hu?

Closer view of my Penny

Happy hatching!!