broody hen pushing a few eggs out from under her

[Gonda]

I did smell the egg tonight. It was out again! I didn't smell anything. I've wondered as well whether it's the colour she objects to - why is it only those two dark brown eggs that she pushes out? The other eggs are light brown, and there are two blue eggs. She doesn't push those out.

 

[jak2002003]

Is she a first time broody? I had a hen then kept rolling one egg out of the nest and letting it get cold. It was a different egg every few days and from 9 eggs she was down to 2 - then I spotted her rolling one out......so I took them off here and hatched them under a different hen.

There was nothing wrong with the eggs at all. She was just a bad broody. She would also throw out the nesting material and then be sitting on the wood (cant be comfortable). I will give her one more chance, otherwise I will not use her to hatch eggs again.

 

[Gonda]

It's hatching time now! Four chicks hatched yesterday, out of 10 eggs, which is disappointing. They started sometime yesterday and the last one hatched in the evening, so I was hoping for more overnight, but still only four this morning. And the dark brown Copper Marans eggs are not among the hatched, which is no surprise. She sat on all the eggs very nicely for the most part, but continued to push one of the brown ones out occasionally. I couldn't bring myself to throw them out so I put them back every time, being an eternal optimist. But they didn't hatch. I'm hoping a few more will hatch today, but am afraid they won't, as they usually hatch overnight, I find. I've had less success with this hen. She sat on eggs once before, and then it was a small hatch also, 3 out of 9 eggs. She does really sit well, and does keep the eggs warm, except for these two brown ones. So I didn't think that it was because there were too many, as she so sat well about 98% of the time and only pushed the dark brown ones out once every so often. So I wouldn't say she's a bad broody. And she's unfortunately the only one of my hens that has been going broody lately, and she does it regularly. Next time, I'll give her less eggs.

 

[Gonda]

Incredible! I saw that the one dark brown egg was out from under the hen again, and was cool. This was the one that she pushed out most often. So I decided to give up on this one, and I opened it up - and was shocked to discover that there was a live chick inside. Very much alive. I watched for a while, and it was moving frequently. So, I felt horrible. I came up with the only solution that could make me feel better - tuck it under the mom and see what happens. I know it has very little chance of surviving. And maybe it wouldn't have hatched. Maybe it was too weak. But better to die under the mom than out in the cold. Now I'm not taking anymore out!! There are still only 4 that have hatched, five more unhatched.

 

[Gonda]

I went back and checked and of course, the poor thing was quite dead. I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't opened it. Maybe nothing. But now I'm not going to be too quick to give up on the remaining five. I guess this is a learning curve.

 

[sharebear29]

wow....your story was interesting.

I refuse to open the eggs that don't hatch after the hen leaves the nest. I can't handle finding dead babies in there.

 

[Gonda]

Yes, it waasn't a good feeling seeing a live chick, knowing it couldn't survive once I opened the egg. But 'm trying to believe it wouldnt have hatched anyway - it didn't look like it was ready to hatch, pretty weak. It probably had a growth delay due to being cold too often. And the other five still haven't hatched either, though the mo is still sittinng onthem and tucked under herself when I took a few out to look at them. So she still seems to think theere's hope. Im not too hopeful though.

 

[Gonda]

The story keeps getting more interesting. This morning I discovered that there were still 5 unhatched eggs left, but then noticed that there were in fact five chicks hatched, not four. So, that left me with a math problem. There were 10 eggs originally, one dead one yesterday, 5 live, and five remaining. Then I remembered the little Ameraucana hen who somehow got into the nest yesterday. I have built an extension onto the nest for food and water, but covered it with wire mesh. I didn't have it tied down completely though, and this little hen (who is a brat) was in the nest at one point. I had noticed that one of the eggs that was unhatched was a blue one. I wondered now if this blue one was one she laid in that nest yesterday. So I took it inside and candled it, and sure enough, it's a non fertile egg with what looked like a broken yolk. I opened it up and sure enough, a fresh egg with a broken yolk. What a brat. So, the good news is that both of my blue eggs did hatch, and I do have 5 chicks.

Now the story gets even more interesting. I candled the remaining four eggs and three were infertile. The dark brown Copper Marans egg was very dark, and I thought I saw movement, but couldn't be sure. I put it down, trying to decide what to do with it. And then I heard peeping. I held it to my ear and yes, that's where the peeping sound is coming from. So I quickly put it back under the mom. But, will it hatch??? The others hatched on Friday/Saturday night. This one got cool a few times, but not as much as the one I opened up yesterday. That one was pushed out most. This one once or twice, more towards the periphery, not completely out as the other one was, and it never got as cold, as far as I know. But does it have a chance of hatching at this point? The one I opened yesterday seemed a little "premature". I wonder if this one was a bit delayed also. I see no signs of pipping on the shell. The mom is still content to sit on the nest at this point. Again, maybe she knows something.

 

[Gonda]

The dark brown egg did hatch during the night!! A lovely, healthy looking little Copper Marans chick, doing well so far. So, that's a good two days after the others hatched.
I left the mom in the nesting box the whole time. If I'd moved her down, she wouldn't have stayed with the egg. So it all worked out great, a cooperative mom and lots of patience. Now I feel worse about opening the other one on Saturday. I keep telling myself it probably wouldn't have made it, as that one was the one that was pushed out by the mom so often, and got quite cold several times. But I wouldn't give up too quickly next time, if it happens again.

Has anyone ever tried hatching copper marans with others? I wonder if they do take longer. I read yesterday on a poultry site somewhere that they do have more trouble hatching. Or do they take longer to mature? Or was it just because they weren't always under the mom? But this one wasn't out that often and didn't get totally cold like the other one. So do the copper marans maybe just take 23 days?