Broody Nastiness help and maggots :(

[stone_family3]

So from bad to worse in a short time, egg was broken by broodies and now there are maggots. So now I have questions.

If I shoo the broodies out and clean them, will that break their broodiness? They are all sitting on eggs that are due any day.

Also will the maggots negatively effect the eggs? What is the best way to clean them?

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I have read that moving a broody at night is a good way to prevent them from leaving the nest. Maybe you could prepare a new nest in a box and place the broody hen on it and put it in a dark area. Then you can wipe off the eggs and put them under broody. I don't know how maggot would affect eggs. I have heard of chickens eating maggots, though.

 

[petem1999]

Breaking broodiness can be a pain. Best way I read about and tried is to segregate away from the eggs in a cage for a few days. This gives her a chance to get over it for the time being. She may become broody again very shortly. Other thing you can do is post on this site or craigs list letting folks you have a broody hen and if they have eggs they want to hatch. Works out good for the hen and for them. As for the maggots clean out the nest and place new nesting material. The chickens will eat the maggots (lots of protein) if you let them, there is a very slight chance that they can carry botulism.

 

[petem1999]

Sorry misread thought you wanted to break their broodiness...... they will remain broody when you clean.