Broody hen eating her own eggs?

[ladyh]

the pics are out of order but I put wire fence around it all, then I put bird netting all around and on top. Later I put plywood to cover the top of the bird netting. I got a pic of the first little one. I noticed while doing this that mama pics at the shell to help the baby out...wow I didn't know that!!! I have caught many snakes in the bird netting and I can guarantee nothing will get through that.

 

[Teila]

Aaaw, so so cute! Congratulations!

I have not had an issue with snakes but the protection looks good, especially as you have organised a cover also.

Hopefully now you can sit back and enjoy the show .. I will be surprised if you do not love every minute of it.

Mumma will sit on the remaining eggs for a while now .. fingers crossed for more

 

[Feathers4Fun2]

Good day, Last March I bought 6, day-old chicks (straight run). Three Rhode Island Red and three Plymouth Rock Barred. As they grew it was apparent that there were only two hens out of the bunch. The culled the excess roosters - I now have one Rhode Island Red rooster and one hen plus one Plymouth Rock Barred hen. Both hens are producing eggs every day and they are using the same nesting spot. One morning I noticed I had the disappearing egg syndrome - a day or two later I lost a couple of more eggs but there was broken sheels. I'm guessing the disappearing eggs were due to snakes - and the broken eggs were probably the work of opposum or racoons. I was leaving 4 eggs in the nest and harvesting the rest but the hens were not broody so I'm leaving the eggs to pile up and see if they change their mind about brooding. Mabe they think 4 eggs isn't worth their time, I've got a clutch of 18 eggs right now so we'll see.

 

[ladyh]

Aaaw, so so cute! Congratulations!

I have not had an issue with snakes but the protection looks good, especially as you have organised a cover also.

Hopefully now you can sit back and enjoy the show .. I will be surprised if you do not love every minute of it.

Mumma will sit on the remaining eggs for a while now .. fingers crossed for more

Thank you.... This is my first time NOT incubating.... she pecks at me but that's okay... I think the little one is a roo, which is okay too.... I can't wait to see how many more hatch...fascinating how she actually pecks the shell to help the chick out...amazing mama knows what to do... I get super excited when I incubate and they hatch...

 

[minihorse927]

Congratulations and good work! Lets hope if it is a snake you can catch it!

 

[ladyh]

Congratulations and good work! Lets hope if it is a snake you can catch it!

If its a snake it will be caught, as I have bird netting all around outside the adult hens and have caught rattlers and unfortunately gophers and bullsnakes,....but don't have anymore mice...bittersweet.. I have posted pics of the caught snakes on my FB. Thanks

 

[snywalker]

Good day, Last March I bought 6, day-old chicks (straight run). Three Rhode Island Red and three Plymouth Rock Barred. As they grew it was apparent that there were only two hens out of the bunch.  The culled the excess roosters - I now have one Rhode Island Red rooster and one hen plus one Plymouth Rock Barred hen. Both hens are producing eggs every day and they are using the same nesting spot.  One morning I noticed I had the disappearing egg syndrome - a day or two later I lost a couple of more eggs but there was broken sheels.  I'm guessing the disappearing eggs were due to snakes - and the broken eggs were probably the work of opposum or racoons.  I was leaving 4 eggs in the nest and harvesting the rest but the hens were not broody so I'm leaving the eggs to pile up and see if they change their mind about brooding.  Mabe they think 4 eggs isn't worth their time, I've got a clutch of 18 eggs right now so we'll see.

Neither barred rocks or rir are known for being broody. It is possible, but I have never had one of either of those breeds ever go broody.

My broodiest hen is a Cochin/buff Orpington. She is broody more than she is not.

 

[ladyh]

Neither barred rocks or rir are known for being broody. It is possible, but I have never had one of either of those breeds ever go broody.

My broodiest hen is a Cochin/buff Orpington. She is broody more than she is not.

Wow, it's interesting because I have my hens w/their perspective roosters split on two side of the property. These particular hens are Black Australorp, one RIR and one silver wyandotte, and the rooster is a black australorpe. These hens are consistant layers and they lay in the barn. There are no predators, per se, to worry about...my bird netting seems to catch the rattlers and some gophers. The hens lay eggs in the barn and I get almost a dozen a day...and never have those missing...it's just the eggs that were under the broody Australorp Hen. She always has her hackles raised on her neck as she walks around so I'm assuming she is the Queen of the other hens (total 12 including the rooster). She became the broody one. The barn door are shut at night..

On the other side I have 4 RIR and one gets nasty when I go under her to gather eggs...guessing if I let her she will go broody...although I have two barred rocks there too w/3 roosters...the barred rock (1) will get huffy when I get eggs under her the rest don't care. Someone told me when a hen does that, they are potential broody hens?

I also have a muscovy hen sitting on 12 eggs and she isn't as protected like in the barn. She has a protected place to sit on her eggs. She has a Male muscovy, 4 pekin hens, two mallards in their area at night. Now two guinea males floating around at night (6 babies guineas in the barn growing up)

 

[snywalker]

Wow, it's interesting because I have my hens w/their perspective roosters split on two side of the property.  These particular hens are Black Australorp, one RIR and one silver wyandotte, and the rooster is a black australorpe.  These hens are consistant layers and they lay in the barn.  There are no predators, per se, to worry about...my bird netting seems to catch the rattlers and some gophers.  The hens lay eggs in the barn and I get almost a dozen a day...and never have those missing...it's just the eggs that were under the broody Australorp Hen.  She always has her hackles raised on her neck as she walks around so I'm assuming she is the Queen of the other hens (total 12 including the rooster).  She became the broody one. The barn door are shut at night..

On the other side I have 4 RIR and one gets nasty when I go under her to gather eggs...guessing if I let her she will go broody...although I have two barred rocks there too w/3 roosters...the barred rock (1) will get huffy when I get eggs under her the rest don't care.  Someone told me when a hen does that, they are potential broody hens?

I also have a muscovy hen sitting on 12 eggs and she isn't as protected like in the barn. She has a protected place to sit on her eggs.  She has a Male muscovy, 4 pekin hens, two mallards in their area at night.  Now two guinea males floating around at night (6 babies guineas in the barn growing up)

Yeah, getting mad at you seems to be the start of going broody. So she might do it if you leave her some. Any hen can go broody, it's just some breeds are more likely than others.

 

[tinakevin]

I have a rir that went broody on me in July. I didn't have a rooster at the time so I bought her 3 baby chicks. She turned out to be a great momma. I have 3 rir and 3 barred rocks and she is the only one to go broody.