Broody Hen Problem Please Help !!!

[chickbrad24]

So 7 days ago I noticed my Buff Brahma has gone broody so I just left her go then 2 days ago I noticed a broken egg out from where she is setting. Today I noticed another egg broken out from under her. She got off the nest for 5 minutes so I snuck under the porch were she is sitting on. She is on 20 something eggs. They all have dried yolk on them and they smell.


What should I do ? Will the rest of the eggs hatch ? I'm scared she is eating them as well. Should I candle the eggs ? Should I move her and give her more eggs to start over ?

The eggs do smell a little a well. Is that from the broken eggs ?

 

[red horse ranch]

A Brama can set on a lot of eggs but I think 20 something is too many. She is probably stepping on them when getting off to eat and drink. 12 would be the most I would let her have. If the eggs are covered with yolk it really reduces their chance of hatching because it seals out the oxygen the chick will need. No doubt the nesting material is also dirty and that is what is stinking.
If it was me I would candle the eggs and discard those that are really yolk covered and dirty. Or if they obviously have no chicks in them. If they just have a little yolk on them you can try scratching it off. Discard the old nesting material because the smell may bring in predators. Put the eggs on clean nesting material, in a safer location if you can.

 

[chickbrad24]

Sounds good. Thank you for such great advice. Should I move her at night or during the day? I do have a nest box ready in a new location. I'm just scared that she will reject them.

 

[red horse ranch]

I don't think it would matter but she might be less likely to reject the new nest if it was done at night. As long as her eggs are there when you put her on the new nest she will probably stay. I've had it go both ways when trying to move a broody hen. Try not to let the eggs cool too much during the move.

 

[chickbrad24]

When I went to check the eggs today when she got off the nest for that 5 mins they were pretty cold to the touch.

 

[red horse ranch]

I don't know why they would be cold unless she wasn't able to cover them all. Don't give up on the eggs just because they felt cool.

 

[chickbrad24]

I'm not she is my first broody and I'm really excited about my first chicks hatched and raised the natural way.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Leave her where she is. If you do anything remove all but 15 of the most soiled eggs and let her sit on the remaining 15 eggs in peace. It would be good to fix it where no other hen can lay with her.

Broken eggs are part and parcel of there being too many cooks in the kitchen or in other words too many hens on or eggs in the nest.

 

[chickbrad24]

With a broody hen though if she is eating them when they crack do I have to worry about her being an egg eater in the future ?

 

[chickbrad24]

So today when she got off the nest I candle'd the eggs. She was on 17. 11 of them were duds and six of them good but heavily soiled with yolk dirt egg shells and feathers. Now what do I do?