Broody Hen Thread!

[lazy gardener]

How long had she been broody? I tried fostering pipping eggs to my broody who had only been broody for a week or so. After the first egg hatched, she abandoned the nest. I think that they need to be broody for close to the natural incubation period before they will switch over to "take care of chicks" mode. Also, in a natural brooding situation, the hen typically sits on her chicks for a couple of days to give the late hatching eggs an opportunity to hatch. So, she may not have set long enough, or moving her off the nest before she was ready may have upset her "mother mode". You might try sneaking them under her again tonight and see what happens. Unless she's abusing them, or abandoning them, try to let her work it out with them. Hard to do, huh?

 

[Morrigan]

I'm so mad at myself right now. My broody is on the morning of day 18, sitting on 10 eggs. When I went into the coop I smelled rotten egg and could see flies buzzing around. So I carefully lifted her off and, sure enough, there was a broken rotten egg and one other egg that was cracked, but not completely broken. I could only see 8 eggs so I assumed the other 2 had broken at some point and she ate them. I removed the broken and cracked eggs and replaced the bedding and 6 eggs (which weren't too badly soiled and smelled ok).

Here comes the dumb part. When I was busy cleaning her nest, she had moved into another nest box. When I lifted her out, two eggs that had been partially stuck to her dropped out. One was intact, but the other dented in and cracked.

I was so mad for not checking her undersides first. I than agonized about whether to put the dented egg under her, as I didn't think the membrane had ruptured. But, I worried that it might further break and re-soil her next. So I removed it. I don't have an incubator, or I would have tried that. When I opened the two cracked eggs, the one was dead, but the one that had just been dropped had an almost formed chick it with its heart still beating. I felt sick to my stomach. Here was this beautiful, live chick, just days from hatching, and I had killed it.

Two questions, as I try to learn from my mistakes:

--Should I have bothered cleaning up the rotten egg so close to the hatch? I couldn't stand the thought of her still on rotten goo with flies all over her, but if I hadn't interfered, maybe the egg would have hatched. Would she have cleaned up the mess, at least somewhat, by herself?

--Should I have put the dented egg back under her?

 

[sharol]

Quote:
I know how you feel. I would probably have done just what you did. Rotten egg in a nest and on eggs can't be a good thing. As far as the dented egg, if you had (I know you don't) an incubator, a bit of tape over the crack might have held in an incubator long enough for it to hatch, but I can't imagine it working under a broody.

 

[aart]

I'm so mad at myself right now. My broody is on the morning of day 18, sitting on 10 eggs. When I went into the coop I smelled rotten egg and could see flies buzzing around. So I carefully lifted her off and, sure enough, there was a broken rotten egg and one other egg that was cracked, but not completely broken. I could only see 8 eggs so I assumed the other 2 had broken at some point and she ate them. I removed the broken and cracked eggs and replaced the bedding and 6 eggs (which weren't too badly soiled and smelled ok).

Here comes the dumb part. When I was busy cleaning her nest, she had moved into another nest box. When I lifted her out, two eggs that had been partially stuck to her dropped out. One was intact, but the other dented in and cracked.

I was so mad for not checking her undersides first. I than agonized about whether to put the dented egg under her, as I didn't think the membrane had ruptured. But, I worried that it might further break and re-soil her next. So I removed it. I don't have an incubator, or I would have tried that. When I opened the two cracked eggs, the one was dead, but the one that had just been dropped had an almost formed chick it with its heart still beating. I felt sick to my stomach. Here was this beautiful, live chick, just days from hatching, and I had killed it.

Two questions, as I try to learn from my mistakes:

--Should I have bothered cleaning up the rotten egg so close to the hatch? I couldn't stand the thought of her still on rotten goo with flies all over her, but if I hadn't interfered, maybe the egg would have hatched. Would she have cleaned up the mess, at least somewhat, by herself?

--Should I have put the dented egg back under her?

Oh that's tough!!!
It was right to remove and clean up the rotten egg for sure, I doubt she would have cleaned it up...and it would have threatened the rest of the hatch.
I might have put the dented egg back under her, it's hard call.
Losing livestock can be heartbreaking, make you cringe and cry, but it's part of the game.
Don't beat yourself up, you made a decision and it's done...can't go back.
Hope you have better luck with the rest and end up with some fuzzballs to salve the pain.
Hang in there!

 

[Morrigan]

Thanks Sharon and Aart. I really hope I do get some fuzz balls of the remaining 7 eggs. Last year this same broody sat on 10 and only 3 hatched to live chicks, one of which didn't make it. But, she hatched amongst a raging, very dry, heat wave. There were rotten eggs involved by the end of that hatch as well. She was a great mother to the two surviving chicks, and I'll be heartbroken for her if she doesn't get at least one.

I just checked in on her and she is looking alert in the nest and is very interested in her food. I hope she is sensing living chicks in those remaining eggs.

 

[Angie16hearts]

I have a quick question. My Australorp just ditched her chicks and same day laid her first egg again. 2 days were white eggs. Today it's brown again

is this normal?

 

[sharol]

Quote:
OK, a brown egg is really a white egg with a brown coating "sprayed" on during the laying process, right? SO if the spray apparatus was somehow not working? That said, are you absolutely sure that the white eggs came from her?

 

[n3kms]

I have a quick question. My Australorp just ditched her chicks and same day laid her first egg again. 2 days were white eggs. Today it's brown again

is this normal?

My first broody was in a separate coop with her 4 week old chicks. She laid an egg and the next day was done with those chicks. Chickens must really be controlled by their hormones.

 

[Angie16hearts]

Quote:
OK, a brown egg is really a white egg with a brown coating "sprayed" on during the laying process, right? SO if the spray apparatus was somehow not working? That said, are you absolutely sure that the white eggs came from her?

Yes! 2 days of white cause she was in broody coop with chicks. I kinda figured it may be the last part of the process but wasnt sure how common it is? I know the brown egg was her only because I happened to be outside. Curiosity already had me going so as soon as her cackle started and she came out of nesting are. I hurried and checked. All the same shape.

 

[suliah]

So I learned that my broody didn't want to get off the nest... last Thursday (roughly day 5) I took her off the nest. I placed her next to the food and she began eating quickly. I put water next to her and she was drinking. But the whole time she was fluffed up and very agitated. Finally got her to go outside, she was scratching and tried to take a dust bath. But the other chickens were trying to pick on her! I kinda want to let her fight them, but I also want to protect everyone... She doesn't even have chicks yet and the other chickens are picking on her, what's going to happen if she hatches chicks?

Yesterday I took her off again. it was the same thing.

Today I was happy to see she got off on her own this morning, and then returned to her eggs. Even if she doesn't have a successful hatch I feel like she's learning along the way.

On another note, the other chickens have stopped pushing in on her to lay eggs in her nesting box. I built new boxes for them and thankfully the girls like the new boxes enough to leave Lacey (broody) alone.

I candled on Saturday night (roughly day 7). In a few I saw a small dark spot that seemed to roll when I rotated the egg, like it was detached. Is that OK, or is that a dead egg? I had a few that were clearly developing, I could see veins and such, so I guess we'll see. Might go candle tonight again and pull out anything that hasn't changed.