Broody Dilemma

[Lady of McCamley]

I did give it back to her. I was worried though bc she didn't sit on it the whole night and wasn't sure if that would hurt the development of the egg but I checked today and there is something definitely growing! Will check again in a few days. However, she will not stay away from her original spot so I tried to close it off the best I could. I may try to move her again soon.

That is the problem with moving some of them...they just won't brood without their selected spot.

Eggs are amazing...I have had some I thought for sure were gonners still hatch.

Good luck with her.

LofMc

 

[centrarchid]

That is the problem with moving some of them...they just won't brood without their selected spot.

Eggs are amazing...I have had some I thought for sure were gonners still hatch.

Good luck with her.

LofMc

Process you followed a couple days ago is consistent with that to intentionally break a hens broody cycle. Early in cycle hen is imprinted on location. Later in cycle hen imprints on sounds produced by embryos (soon to be chicks).

 

[MtnMomma86]

Next round consider a fence around her so predator can not get within 24" inches of nest. This done here especially if near an electrified fence. I routinely have hens nest on ground in open field. I place a pen like shown below over each nest site and lay it down at night. The following morning I prop it up so hen can come and go as she pleases. The pen is not a perfect stop but it makes predators have to work harder and increases odds I or other measures can intervene before harm some to brood or hen.

I really like this idea! Simple but effective and is something I could still do seeing as she has a little over 2 weeks left to sit. Thanks for the advice!

 

[MtnMomma86]

Update!!
Our eggs have disappeared one came up missing a few days ago so I stuck another one under her giving her two again. This morning I checked her and this afternoon when I went back down the eggs were gone. Not sure if something is snatching them or she is moving them possibly?? Thoughts?

I am,not sure if I should put another one down there and try to move her again or just say the heck with it and try again next time. Any ideas?

 

[centrarchid]

Egg eater of some sort. Move her immediately to another location. I would setup a live-trap on nest using egg or cat food as bait. Look baby opossum, baby skunk or large snake. If losses occured during day I would making certain a crow not coming in. Do you have an egg eating dog?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Sounds exactly like a snake. They leave no trace, visit and eat eggs (how many depends on the size of the snake), go away and digest them, then come back for more. I’ve had that a couple of times. The will visit any time, day or night.

Skunks or possum would probably leave egg shells behind (I know it’s possible for the hen to clean them up but usually they don’t do a great job of that). A dog is a possibility too, but would probably take all of them at one time. With the time being split like that it just feels like a snake.

 

[MtnMomma86]

Hmmm.. that is what I feared. She refused to move the other week when I tried with her eggs. Now that she doesn't have any should I move her and give her another one? We are not short on fertilized eggs. The poor girl has been sitting for 2 weeks and now has nothing. I guess I could try and see what happens... she is so stuck on that one spot and now sitting on an empty nest. It is a shed so really hard to block off.

Yes we have a dog but he is only a puppy and doesn't have much interest in the chickens or their area.

Thanks so much for all your advice! This is my first broody hen and my boys are waiting for baby chicks but they keep coming up missing.

 

[centrarchid]

Provide her a nesting site that is more elevated or at least requiring her to fly up about 4 feet above ground. A have several nests on work bench in barn and have routinely used wicker baskets placed on shelf of front porch. As a kid I left bedroom window open so game hen could nest in a closet. Better locations against snakes and ground predators in general can require you help chicks out or they cannot get back in until they can fly.