Broody Hen's Eggs under Attack! Help!

[Ariomi]

I need help!

I have a broody banty that is sitting on a clutch of 6 eggs for 7 days now. She is in a spacius pen/coop with 6 other chickens, 3 standaZrds and 3 other bantys. 3 days ago the banty eggs laid by the other girls were beng eaten, I researched here and started giving them there own egg shells back for calcium, and also some scrambled eggs. The egg eating continued, but the broody seemed fine.

I just went to check for eggs and as soon as I closed the back of the coop up I looked through the window and 2 of the bantys came in and literally mounted an assult on the broody, trying their hardest to get under her to her eggs. I watched for a bit to make sure, and one of the bantys flipped an egg out from under the broody and started to try and peck it. I opened the door, took the two bantys and shewed them out the coop door into the run. They immediatly came back in! So I did it again and this time closed the coop door.

Now the bantys are desperately trying to get into the coop. I don't know what to do. I have a bog dog crate to put the broody in, but I have no place for her to be in it. She can't be in the run in the crate, she'd have no protection form the elements and she can't come inside ( I have kids) Apart from the garage theres nowhere.

So what do I do? Do the bantys have to go? Will they always do this? this is so wierd, HELP ME PLEASE

 

[Ariomi]

Anyone out there with experiance with behavior like this? I really need some opinions here!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I’m really sorry. You have a real problem. When I read your title I was hoping for something else easier to deal with.

I’ve had an egg-eating hen before, just one. Practically any chicken will eat an egg when it is opened and really broken. That’s not what I’m talking about. That’s natural. The problem is when a hen purposely opens a good egg to eat it. That’s what you are describing. And mine was not that vicious. She would only open one or two a day.

Once I figured out which one it was, I ate her. I did not want to give her a chance to teach the others to open them. That’s my suggestion to you. Not necessarily eat them but get rid of those two quickly before they teach others. With what you’ve said I’m surprised they are not opening the other eggs, not just the ones under the broody.

You said you had a spacious coop. Will that dog crate fit under the roosts, even if you have to cover it with something to keep the poop out? Or maybe somewhere else inside the coop. In addition to the weather you need to worry about predator protection. Inside the coop may be your best option.

If you get rid of those two you won’t have to worry about relocating her. But yeah, you need to do something. I’ve never seen anything like those two.

 

[Ariomi]

Thank you for the response...

I thought that would be the answer. They have been opening up the other eggs (one a day) in the coop for the past 3 days or more. Today was the first day I saw them try to get the broodies eggs. Its a good thing I was there and interupted them, it could have been bad. I'm worried that they have already shown the other how to do it. One of my standards was coming into the coop with the 2 bantys each time they came in but she did not try and do anything. But she was adamantly there. Do you think she is likely to have learned the behavior?

The coop is not big enough for the crate but the run is big. I'm going to go over it with my husband and see what we can do. I can't see us keeping those chickens if they are always going to do this, one they learn to do it and make it a habit they don't stop right?

Thank you again.

 

[TravisE]

i thank your best bet is to put her in the garage at night time. in the dog cage. i havent had problems with egg eating, but i had a bantam hen that went broody one time. the other hens bloodied her comb and head. i put her in my garage in a brooder i had made for some chicks. she went straight to the eggs and started setting on them again.
hope this helps
travis

 

[TravisE]

Thank you for the response...

I thought that would be the answer. They have been opening up the other eggs (one a day) in the coop for the past 3 days or more. Today was the first day I saw them try to get the broodies eggs. Its a good thing I was there and interupted them, it could have been bad. I'm worried that they have already shown the other how to do it. One of my standards was coming into the coop with the 2 bantys each time they came in but she did not try and do anything. But she was adamantly there. Do you think she is likely to have learned the behavior?

The coop is not big enough for the crate but the run is big. I'm going to go over it with my husband and see what we can do. I can't see us keeping those chickens if they are always going to do this, one they learn to do it and make it a habit they don't stop right?

Thank you again.

you can try putting in a wooden egg or some other hard fake egg. in the nest boxes. it can some times reteach them not to eat the eggs.
hope this helps