Broody hen and Im so confused...

[foodthatpoops]

Speckled sussex hen went broody and started laying between our square bales. I found her nest yesterday morning and had to take it away from her because the eggs she was laying were falling between the bales. She apparently would loose them between the bales and then lay more. I had to tear the whole pile apart to find all of her eggs, there were over 30. I ONLY found her because the guinea was telling on her. I pulled all of the eggs, moved her to a safer spot and she refused the nest, made a new one in a safer spot but not with the old eggs (I kept the ones that were directly under her, not the ones that had fallen between the bales).

Question - I found close to 40 eggs and when I found her laying it looked like the guinea was trying to push her off of her nest. There were different colored eggs and even different size eggs in her nest (and thru the bales straight under her). She usually lays light brown but there were white eggs that were smaller as well as some of her normal eggs. Would she go from brown to white and back to brown or do you think maybe the guinea was laying eggs in the same nest? I swear the guinea that was up there was the male but with the different colored eggs Im scratching my head. She isnt anywhere near the coop where everyone normally lays, she chose to lay in the building adjacent to the barn where we store the hay.

 

[sylviethecochin]

I think your guinea (one of them, anyway. Not necessarily the tattler, but probably) was taking over the nest. Color gradually gets lighter as the laying season progresses, but the eggs usually don't turn flat white. And the size difference cinches it for me.

 

[foodthatpoops]

these were even a different shape than hers. I've heard that broody hens will steal others eggs and lay on them and that would make a lot of sense too since egg production dwindled in the last two weeks. I figured it was because it got cold again but it would make sense that she would have been stealing them. I have a mixed flock including game hens and the small white eggs looked like their eggs.

 

[chickens really]

If no Rooster they are not fertile anyways. Sounds like the other Bird was laying in that nest too..If you want to hatch eggs get her in a separate pen and see if she sets?..

 

[foodthatpoops]

Oh, we have roos... Huge RIR roo and 3 game roos. Id love to cut it down to just 2 roos. The little game roos drive me crazy constantly chasing. Big Bruce (rir) doesnt have to chase, all of the hens follow him around lol

 

[bobbi-j]

I'm guessing you had more than one bird laying in that spot. If your hen was broody, she'd have stopped laying and started setting on those eggs. I think she just thought that was a good place to lay her eggs.