Broody Hen Thread!

[Bitemynekk]

Hi all. I have one of my chickens sitting on fertile eggs and my other 2 seen to be stealing her eggs and moving them into the neighbouring nest box. The stolen eggs don't appear to be taken care of as my hubby has spotted them not sitting in the nest at night. I'm wondering if I should move the 2 girls to my other coop to stop them stealing eggs or just leave them to it and see what happens. This is the first time any of my girls have sat on eggs so I'm not sure what's best. Ty in advance.

 

[fisherlady]

Hi all. I have one of my chickens sitting on fertile eggs and my other 2 seen to be stealing her eggs and moving them into the neighbouring nest box. The stolen eggs don't appear to be taken care of as my hubby has spotted them not sitting in the nest at night. I'm wondering if I should move the 2 girls to my other coop to stop them stealing eggs or just leave them to it and see what happens. This is the first time any of my girls have sat on eggs so I'm not sure what's best. Ty in advance.

If her nest is being messed with then your options are to move (or fence off) the setting hen or move the offenders. Whichever works better for your coop set up and flock dynamics will be your answer. Depending on how often and how long the eggs have been messed with it could have interfered in embryo development.
If it is only a few days into the brood you can either start over with new eggs or hope for the best, the eggs which were messed with may also hatch later than eggs which were maintained better by the broody. So if you stick with the originals don't be surprised if you have a spread out hatch over a couple of days even.

 

[ocap]

Question. If one Wyandotte goes broody, will another also go broody?

I have four Wyandottes and three went broody at the same time.

What breed hens go Broody the most ? I have 3 bantams, 1 D'uccle, 1 black frizzled cochin, 1 red cochin, 1 Old game mix, 3 production RIR , 1 Australorp , 1 Barred rock, ,1 GLW, and 4 female EE's . Awhile back my old game mix tried to go broody but walked away. Now she is not laying at all! I'm curious cause I would like a broody. Just wondering if possible with my flock . I do have a Roo. Thank you

I think that you will have broody bantams

 

[Mskayladog]

I see this written a lot on this thread. How do broody hens steal eggs?

 

[fisherlady]

I see this written a lot on this thread. How do broody hens steal eggs?

Some hens can be quite limber when they want to be. They may sit down over an egg they want, then they use their beak/head to get it shuffled up under one of their wings, they then hold that wing down tight and stand, then simply walk to their chosen nest area and hop in, still holding the egg under their wing. I have also witnessed a hen who was able to pick up an egg by getting it tucked under her chin and by flexing her neck and holding tight she was able to carry it from nest to nest and other hens are able to just roll the egg from one nest to another.
They can be very creative and sneaky when it comes to collecting eggs!

 

[ChickyChickens]

Some hens can be quite limber when they want to be. They may sit down over an egg they want, then they use their beak/head to get it shuffled up under one of their wings, they then hold that wing down tight and stand, then simply walk to their chosen nest area and hop in, still holding the egg under their wing. I have also witnessed a hen who was able to pick up an egg by getting it tucked under her chin and by flexing her neck and holding tight she was able to carry it from nest to nest and other hens are able to just roll the egg from one nest to another.
They can be very creative and sneaky when it comes to collecting eggs!

WOW! That must have bee a funny sight!!!

 

[Angie16hearts]

I have four Wyandottes and three went broody at the same time.


I think that you will have broody bantams

Thank you ! That's the answer I was looking for

 

[jajeanpierre]

Some hens can be quite limber when they want to be. They may sit down over an egg they want, then they use their beak/head to get it shuffled up under one of their wings, they then hold that wing down tight and stand, then simply walk to their chosen nest area and hop in, still holding the egg under their wing. I have also witnessed a hen who was able to pick up an egg by getting it tucked under her chin and by flexing her neck and holding tight she was able to carry it from nest to nest and other hens are able to just roll the egg from one nest to another.
They can be very creative and sneaky when it comes to collecting eggs!

And they can take them very far. I read of a fake egg being taken hundreds of yards. The keeper thought a snake had eaten it until he found a hidden stash of eggs, including his missing ceramic eggs.

 

[PD-Riverman]

WOW! That must have bee a funny sight!!!

LOL, must be---I have had chickens for almost 60 years, I have set 32 hens just this season and I have NEVER had a hen steal a egg---except for guinea's which shared a nest---divided the eggs---when one gets off the nest for a few the other reaches over and pulls a few eggs into her nest and the other does the same thing with the other one gets off the nest. I would have to see this----maybe I have trained my hens well "Thou shalt not steal" LOL.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Sometimes broodiness can be contagious lol but there is not garentee

I had 6 yellow buff orp. go broody in one week and another time I had 5 game hens go broody in less than a week.