Broody hen but no eggs (the eggs disappeared?)

[pinecone33]

so one of our hens randomly decided to not come out of the coop every 3 days or so and just sleep in and lay on eggs and we have no rooster currently for this flock so there’s no way those eggs are fertile but today when she went out I went to check on the eggs and they’re gone? There were 5 eggs in there and now there’s none and idk if she ate them but she has done that befor to her eggs so idk maybe she ate them? but today i also watched her go back into the coop and she was making the same sounds a mother hen does when talking to her chicks? im so confused unless she hid the eggs very well and i cannot see them.


also should i just let her be broody even though her eggs are not fertile or is that bad because this is my first time dealing with a broody hen with non fertile eggs

 

[aart]

There were 5 eggs in there and now there’s none and idk if she ate them but she has done that befor to her eggs so idk maybe she ate them?

Did you dig around in the nest to look for them?
If she ate them there would be a real mess in the nest.
Any chance a snake got in there?

also should i just let her be broody even though her eggs are not fertile or is that bad because this is my first time dealing with a broody hen with non fertile eggs

I would break her.

 

[Ridgerunner]

She is not going to eat five eggs and not leave signs like lots of egg shells and a wet mess. In North America the typical critters that take eggs without leaving any signs are snakes, canines, and humans. Not sure what might be suspects where you are. Other critters will eat eggs but usually leave eggshells or a wet mess, especially five at one time.

A snake will take some eggs then disappear for a few days to digest them before coming back for more. I once had a 5 feet long rat snake take four eggs from under a broody then come back for the rest a few days later so if it was a snake I'd think it was a big one.

A fox or coyote would probably be more interested in the hen than the eggs so probably not them, but does a dog have access? Many dogs don't bother chickens but will eat eggs.

A human doesn't have to mean a thief. Some people think stuff like this makes a good practical joke.

I would also break the hen from being broody. As long as she is broody she is not going to be laying eggs so she is not paying her rent. Before they even lay eggs, let alone go broody, a hen stores up excess fat to live off of if they go broody. That way they can stay on the nest instead of having to go look for food. Most hens will break from being broody before they hurt themselves by not eating and drinking enough but occasionally you get one that won't. I just think it is best to break one if she is not going to hatch or raise chicks.