broody hen!! Help please.

[jake12]

Hey yall, I have a broody hen that has been sitting on eggs fro 4/5 days now. i have been taking her off the next every day to drink and eat. My problem is one of the hens went into the broody box today and got stuck in there somehow, she soiled all over the broody box and the eggs have gotten all dirty and some are a yellowish colour? what will i do will i wash them or will they be ok? Thanks.

 

[jake12]

Anyone?

 

[California_chickie]

Do not wash them. I know it looks gross, but the eggs are going to be pooped on for the next 21 days. Let the hen take care of the eggs herself & try not to upset her- she knows what she's doing. The bloom on the egg helps protect the embryo inside & doesn't need to be washed off. If they are truly disgusting (abnormal looking poop, blood, etc) then if you have to you can VERY gently rub off the nastiest stuff but you don't want to "scrub" anything off- this will break down the bloom & you can ruin your eggs. I would just leave them alone.I know, it's hard to do.

 

[Zootopia]

Leave the hen and the eggs alone. She will not starve, they do get off to eat and drink when they need to. Try to make it so the other hens can not get in to the nest box. Move her and the eggs to box in a quiet corner you can fence off if you can, or give them another place to lay while she is in there if you need to. She will stay on the eggs the last couple of days.