Broody hens; eggs laying sideways

[wanttobefarmer]

I have 2 marans that went broody so I put them both on nests and they are doing great about staying on the eggs but when they get off the nest I notice that the eggs are not turned with the fat side up. I let a showgirl hatch out 24 quail eggs and she kept them perfectly in a mound with the fat side up. Any ideas on this?

 

[Den in Penn]

Always thought chickens brooded their eggs laying on the side. Difficult to keep them standing on the point with out a rack or egg carton. Quail eggs ain't they much rounder?

 

[sourland]

Logically, isn't it sort of impossible for a hen to keep the clutch small end down and large end up?

 

[donrae]

Mine always move the eggs around. I thought they were supposed to be moved around, isn't that why incubators have automatic turners?

 

[wanttobefarmer]

I don't know it is only my second time letting a broody hatch out a clutch of eggs that's why I'm asking. The first time it was quail eggs with a show girl hen and when she would get up to eat they would be all round end up and when she got back on them she would spend time adjusting any that moved. So I thought that she was instinctually doing what we recreate in the brooder. Maybe I had an OCD showgirl hen.

 

[wanttobefarmer]

Logically, isn't it sort of impossible for a hen to keep the clutch small end down and large end up?

yes, except I put alot of pine shaving in the nesting box when I isolate the hen so it is actually like a nest and if all the eggs are pointy end down, the nest is shaped to reinforce this position of the eggs.

 

[kathyinmo]

Logically, isn't it sort of impossible for a hen to keep the clutch small end down and large end up?

Yes, it is impossible, for sure.
The hens "turn" the eggs frequently.

 

[wanttobefarmer]

Ok thanks for everyone's help. Learning all the time on here.