Broody Hen seems to 'get up' easily.

[Kakaruk]

Hello friends,

I just started some fertilized eggs with my broody hen and she seems to 'get up' and leave the eggs quite easily. I did not disturb her today but yesterday when I did there were two other newly laid eggs among the clutch. Anyway, she's been broody for about two weeks but I would take the eggs from her every day. Since Thursday evening, these are the first two nights to have eggs overnight. Maybe it will just take her a couple days here to settle in more strongly. Any thoughts or suggestions? At this pace, in theory we will have chicks right before Easters.

 

[kattabelly]

Do you know that she has definitely been sitting on them at night?

Some hens will let others just climb in on top of them to "donate" an egg. Some will willingly leave the nest, or be kicked out if they're less senior or assertive, if another hen wants to lay there. Sometimes a hen might sneak in and lay an egg while the broody has quickly come off the nest to eat, drink, poop and dust bath.

It isn't necessarily a problem.

If other hens have access to the nest it can be helpful to mark the eggs she started sitting on, so you're able to identify and remove any that were added later on, to avoid a staggered hatch.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Most of my broody hens will willingly share the nest as another hen lays an egg with her clutch. Some will not, but most will. Some broody hens will carry an egg from a different nest back to their own nest. I've never verified this myself but plenty of people I trust on this forum say they have seen it. A hen may hop on the nest to lay an egg while the broody is gone for her time off of the nest.

If the broody returns before that egg is laid, she will probably climb into the nest, no big deal. But I have had a broody go to a different nest in that situation. To me, that is the biggest risk in the process, that she goes to the wrong nest. That's happened to me a few times. When I notice it I move her back to the correct nest. Even when those eggs were cold to the touch I've had great hatches when that happened. It is just not that harmful, even when they cool off.

I agree to mark the eggs so you know which ones belong. Then go down there and check that only the correctly marked eggs are under her later in the day after the others have laid. Remove any eggs that don't belong. As long as you do this daily those eggs are fine to eat. And if she is on the wrong nest put her where she should be.

 

[Perris]

My experience is consistent with the previous responders' and my advice would be the same.

Regarding your specific concerns,

my broody hen and she seems to 'get up' and leave the eggs quite easily.

that is not unusual in the first week or so

Maybe it will just take her a couple days here to settle in more strongly. Any thoughts or suggestions?

I would expect that. It does not harm the eggs' development, and may even be beneficial in the early stages of incubation.

 

[Kakaruk]

Do you know that she has definitely been sitting on them at night?

Some hens will let others just climb in on top of them to "donate" an egg. Some will willingly leave the nest, or be kicked out if they're less senior or assertive, if another hen wants to lay there. Sometimes a hen might sneak in and lay an egg while the broody has quickly come off the nest to eat, drink, poop and dust bath.

It isn't necessarily a problem.

If other hens have access to the nest it can be helpful to mark the eggs she started sitting on, so you're able to identify and remove any that were added later on, to avoid a staggered hatch.

Hi Kattabelly and Ridge, thanks! The last two nights as the sun went down and the girls were roosting, yes she was on the eggs and still on the eggs each morning. I thought about putting a camera to monitor her, which would be cool, but I don't know if I'll follow through with that. I did number the eggs with a pencil on the fat ends, which was already super helpful because I got those two 'new' eggs out of there yesterday.

 

[Kakaruk]

My experience is consistent with the previous responders' and my advice would be the same.

Regarding your specific concerns,

that is not unusual in the first week or so

I would expect that. It does not harm the eggs' development, and may even be beneficial in the early stages of incubation.

Perris, thank you, very helpful to consider!

 

[kattabelly]

I did number the eggs with a pencil on the fat ends, which was already super helpful because I got those two 'new' eggs out of there yesterday.

Just be aware that the pencil might well rub off before they're ready to hatch. Shouldn't be a problem to re-mark them if necessary, while you're removing newer eggs, though.

 

[Weetamoo93]

I did number the eggs with a pencil on the fat ends, which was already super helpful because I got those two 'new' eggs out of there yesterday.

I like to put a prominent "X" on both ends in marker on the eggs. That way I can check with a quick lift of the hen and, on the chance anyone collects eggs for me, it's really obvious which eggs they shouldn't collect.