Broody hen broken...now we think she is eating eggs

[ladylinoleum]

Hi everyone,

I had a hen go broody mid-afternoon last Friday. I was able to coax her out of the nest box and collect the eggs she was sitting on. She was not happy, followed me out to the run squawking and making a real ruckus. Saturday I entered the coop to do my morning chores and Juliette (the broody hen) seemed normal (or normal for her...she's kind of a diva with a mean girl mentality). Anyway, I figured, well good, she's over her dreams of hatching out eggs. I went into the coop that afternoon to do my second round of egg collection and there were literally no eggs. I thought it strange, but didn't get too freaked out about it. I put my hand in the boxes and didn't feel anything gooey or weird. Just no eggs. Then Sunday, I entered the coop in the morning and noticed Juliette hovering over the next boxes while her sisters were in there. I thought that was strange enough, but then I went to collect the eggs and there was definitely eggy goo in one of the boxes. I'm almost positive it is Juliette. I have separated her as I have a space that can be closed off from the rest of the coop to see if my suspicions are correct.

Juliette is a real piece of work and if it is in fact her that is eating eggs, do you think she is doing this because I smashed her dreams of motherhood? I know that sounds crazy, but I have to ask. Any advice or thoughts you might have are totally appreciated.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

My only suggestion is: "crock pot"


Or chicken and dumplings, chicken soup, any chicken dish your family likes.

 

[ladylinoleum]

My only suggestion is: "crock pot"


Or chicken and dumplings, chicken soup, any chicken dish your family likes.

Oh no! I was hoping that I could rehab her in some way. She's definitely a jerk, but I want to see if she can be rehabilitated before calling her dinner.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Someone may come along who knows how to do this, I don't. Good luck, hope you end up getting to keep her. It would drive me nuts if a hen was eating all my eggs

 

[ladylinoleum]

Someone may come along who knows how to do this, I don't. Good luck, hope you end up getting to keep her. It would drive me nuts if a hen was eating all my eggs

I hope so too! Thank you!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'm almost positive it is Juliette. I have separated her as I have a space that can be closed off from the rest of the coop to see if my suspicions are correct.

Good idea. You definitely want to confirm if it's her or not before you take any other steps.

Might want to starting looking into roll out nest boxes as well.

 

[PDXJULES]

have you looked around a bit? could she be rolling them to a secret place to build up a clutch to sit on? My fake eggs get moved or kicked out regularly.

 

[ladylinoleum]

Good idea. You definitely want to confirm if it's her or not before you take any other steps.

Might want to starting looking into roll out nest boxes as well.

Since we moved her to her "apartment" in the coop, we seem to be getting eggs again in the larger coop. My husband found and egg in the apartment yesterday intact. While I am at the office, he is tasked with checking the coop every few hours to see what's going on in there.

I ordered the dummy eggs, but I am going to check into the roll out nest boxes today. Ugh, I am so bummed out about this!

 

[ladylinoleum]

have you looked around a bit? could she be rolling them to a secret place to build up a clutch to sit on? My fake eggs get moved or kicked out regularly.

I have definitely been looking around. I found a few eggs on the floor of the coop yesterday before moving Juliette to her "apartment". Thankfully, all eggs in the larger coop were intact yesterday after the move and nothing seemed weird in there. My husband and I are keeping an eye out in Juliette's space to see if she's eating, hiding or destroying eggs. It's an observation game at this point.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

We got 4 new hens a couple of years ago. They were not "nest broken", suddenly no one was laying in the nesting boxes (even the older girls, who had been laying in the boxes). we thought no one was laying and were trying to figure out what the problem was.
One day we decided to do some work on the Veggie garden, that the chickens get to graze during the winter. In 2 different, well hidden places we found a total of about 50 eggs.
So keep up your easter egg hunt. You never know what you might find.