Broody Hen Thread!

[Penny Hen]

OK, can someone please enlighten me as to what is going wrong with my Broody Hens?

Hatch Number 1 had 2 eggs explode on Day 14, covering all the other eggs with a rancid mess which I did my best to quickly wipe off, and resulted in only one live chick hatching. I didn't candle her eggs so I guess I can take responsibility for the bad result, and was grateful she got one chick out of it.

Now here I am with Broody 2, and I candled her eggs last night on Day 10 whilst wearing gloves to ensure no contamination of the eggs. Today, Day 11, I came home to find one of her eggs (well, the shell of one of her eggs) in the middle of the coop, and her nest was full of yolk and blood, which is AGAIN all over the remaining 7 eggs.

I have quickly wiped those down too, and replaced the dirty hay in her nest, and she has settled back down again.

But what am I doing wrong? I thought the first batch might have been my fault since I didn't candle them, but I really don't understand why this batch is exploding on me. It's only spring here, not overly hot, and my broody has not left the nest. I have been very careful not to touch her eggs, and except for candling yesterday I don't lift her up at all either.

I am in fear of another bad hatch where she doesn't get a chick at the end.

Help!

Krista

I had mine explode too 3 weeks ago. I washed the eggs with bleach water to kill any germs and popped them into the incubator. I got 4 to hatch even though 2 more eggs blew in the bator. Yes I know that the bleach water takes the bloom off the eggs but the bloom is not sufficient against a rotten egg explosion. I run the incubator with some vinegar in the water to discourage microbes that would grow in the presence of water/humidity. And if you ask how much I use I must admit to not being very scientific about that. I put a splash of vinegar in a quart jar and fill with water and pour in the wells of my incubator. My guess is that comes to a Tablespoon of vinegar. Sorry if you have to look up the metric conversions for those. The bleach water is about the same mix.

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

Lollypop was roaming yesterday morning, looked under the stairs where she was nesting, and only saw one egg, there were at least 8 on the weekend. So it looks like a snake got them. Because she was so far back under the stairs, I could not reach the eggs. Thought she would be fine, like Ramin was, when she was nesting under the stair back in late May of this year.
So no little fluffy butts next week.

So unless Ramin gets broody again, it looks like I will be waiting till spring for someone to go broody.

 

[ochochicas]

Funny about the exploding egg thing. I did a little experiment, I saved quite a few eggs that didnt hatch and just laid them out in the sun in my garden that is sectioned off from everyone. Do you know that none of those eggs ever exploded on their own? I always had to crack them after a few months, they did smell pretty bad when I finally did crack them. Some of them were in full sun and a couple were in shade. That is one thing I never did have happen was an egg exploding in the nest. I would not worry about that happening and try and enjoy this special time before the babies arrive. Yes, come on day 21!!!!!!!!!!

When I got my chickens I had no idea eggs could rot and explode. There was an egg in the hen house when we bought them at the beginning of April. I had no idea how long it had been in there, so we didn't want to eat it. I left it in the hen house as a decoy egg so they would know where to lay. The hens laid on it, and it sat in the box for months. One day, in July, I noticed the egg was "wet" and something was seeping out of it. I guess it took four months for it to go bad. It never did explode or stink, but I'm sure that was coming.

 

[ChickyChickens]

When I got my chickens I had no idea eggs could rot and explode. There was an egg in the hen house when we bought them at the beginning of April. I had no idea how long it had been in there, so we didn't want to eat it. I left it in the hen house as a decoy egg so they would know where to lay. The hens laid on it, and it sat in the box for months. One day, in July, I noticed the egg was "wet" and something was seeping out of it. I guess it took four months for it to go bad. It never did explode or stink, but I'm sure that was coming.

Lucky it 'leaked' first!

 

[varikia]

I feel bad my hen was sitting on 17 eggs but I locked the hens up for a couple of days before I realised she was missing then found her sitting on them I decided to leave her that was almost 3 weeks ago I tried to see if they were fertile but couldn't tell so I took the maybe wrong decision to cracked one as I didn't want her sitting for so long for no reason and she has not been leaving the nest. As soon as I tapped it bloody oozed out and what looks like an unformed chick. Now I feel bad but at the same time do not know what to do can anyone advise me???

 

[ChickyChickens]

I feel bad my hen was sitting on 17 eggs but I locked the hens up for a couple of days before I realised she was missing then found her sitting on them I decided to leave her that was almost 3 weeks ago I tried to see if they were fertile but couldn't tell so I took the maybe wrong decision to cracked one as I didn't want her sitting for so long for no reason and she has not been leaving the nest. As soon as I tapped it bloody oozed out and what looks like an unformed chick. Now I feel bad but at the same time do not know what to do can anyone advise me???

So she has been sitting for how many weeks? If she has been sitting for less than 21 days leave her until she has sat about 24/25 days so that you can know for shore! If she has been sitting longer I would probably advise you to remove her and break her brood or you could give her knew eggs (I wouldn't do it unless she is fit for it, it really takes a lot out of them)

 

[varikia]

Ok I thinks it's about 19 days but, as she had been off and on before I noticed I'm not exactly sure, I think I'll leave her another week and see now I know they are fertile or at least some may be
Thnx

 

[ChickyChickens]

Ok I thinks it's about 19 days but, as she had been off and on before I noticed I'm not exactly sure, I think I'll leave her another week and see now I know they are fertile or at least some may be
Thnx

Good idea!

 

[krista74]

Quick question for you all.....

My Broody Hen (currently on Day 14) got off her nest today and ran off across the paddock to be with her friends! This is the first time I've even seen her off the nest, let alone leave the coop and run area.

I checked her eggs and they were still warm, so hubby and I corralled her with the others back into the run with the promise of treats. From there we were able to corner her and when she realised she was trapped, she ran for the coop and got back on her nest - not before eating a mouthful of pellets, mind you!

Do you think this is a sign that she is thinking of abandoning her eggs? Or is it normal for them to run off across the paddocks for their rest break? My last broody never strayed far from her eggs at all....

Also, worst case scenario - I have no incubator here, and have no way to get one either. If she does abandon her eggs, is there anything I can do to hatch them myself? ie - Can I keep them somewhere warm and hope for the best? Could I give them to a Momma Hen who already has one chick? Would she hatch them?

Thanks in advance!

- Krista

 

[elsfieldchickens]

my pekin hen and her chicks