Broody hen has abandoned fake eggs but still broody

[Sophielee]

Hi all. My broody silkie has been sitting nicely on a clutch of 4 fake eggs for two days now whilst I'm waiting for the real hatching eggs to arrive in the post (due within 48 hrs). This morning she left those eggs and hasn't gone back to them, but is now sitting in another nesting box. She's still showing all the broodiness signs but I'm really worried now that she will do the same with the hatching eggs (especially worried as I haven't got an incubator). This is her first time ( and mine!). She has been broody for a few weeks now so have I left it too late? Can they sense that the fake eggs aren't real? I popped a freshly laid egg under her earlier from one of the other chickens to what she does. Still on it at the moment but it's only been a couple of hours.
Any advice much appriciated! Thankyou..

 

[Judy]

It's not unusual for them to switch nests while broody. They don't seem to have much sense of which is "their" nest. Another hen could easily have gone into her nest while she was taking her daily break, or another hen could have climbed in the nest with her with the result that she left. They will move eggs around, lay their egg in a broody's nest, etc. All sorts of mischief. This is why I separate a broody while she is sitting. Sometimes moving a broody will break her broodiness, though. If you move one, I've read it's more likely that she will stay broody if you move the whole nest, or at least the nesting material along with her. When the eggs hatch and the mama takes the chicks out of the nest, I let mama and chicks back in with the flock. While sitting, a broody doesn't need a lot of space besides the nest, just enough for her food and water, and a little room to move around.

I always pick my broodies up daily, and prod them til they get a bit of exercise, and eat and drink, before they return to their nest. Hens lose weight while broody, as well as muscle tone, so I hope this keeps them a little healthier. They've always returned for me, within just a few minutes. You can hang around to be sure they return to the right place.

 

[Sophielee]

Thankyou for the info. I don't think any of the others went in her nesting box as I was watching the hen house at the time but I suppose one of them could of snuck in, the little monkeys..
I have a 'broody coop' all ready and waiting, was planning on moving her tonight once it's dark with her 'fake' eggs so she had the chance to settle before the real eggs arrive but now I'm not sure whether to move her tonight or once the real eggs have arrived and she is sitting on those ones instead...

 

[Judy]

I'd move her tonight, after dark. Gives her a chance to settle in and adjust to her new home, as well as tells you whether she is going to stay broody. She won't know whether the eggs are fake or real, or even if the number of them is different.

 

[Sophielee]

Have moved her now so will see how she is in the morning. Fingers crossed...!
Thanks for your help, much appreciated..x

 

[Judy]

By the way, welcome to our forum!

 

[Sophielee]

Thankyou ~ have relied heavily on this forum for info over the past few weeks and it's been a godsend and now really pleased I joined. It's very reassuring for beginners like myself.
Broody hen update...went to feed her this morning and she's ultra broody now, puffing up and guarding the eggs which she wasn't doing before, so moving her has really helped. Fertile eggs arriving this morning..yeh!
One last question if you don't mind, am I best putting the new eggs under her at night or doesn't it matter? Obviously I will rest them first.
Thanks...

 

[melina90]

It's always best to work by night with these things (candling, moving, adding/removing eggs etc). But it's not a biggie, I've done it during the day without any consequenses.

 

[Sophielee]

Thankyou for that. Will pop them under tonight just to be on the safe side.

 

[Rocky Road]

I think she will know that they aren't real eggs. I've had several broody hens and they have always kicked the golfballs out and also any unfertilized eggs. I would get frustrated if I had 12-15 eggs under her (my hens are pretty large) and she kicked one or two out and they were cold. but then when I opened them I could see they weren't fertilized! I've read somewhere else before that they can sense movement in their eggs . . .

Good Luck!