Broody questions/advice

[arrowti]

Hello! We have a broody RLR who's been sitting on the nest for a week now. This is the first time I've seen her off the nest, and I checked on it. I counted about 12 (maybe 13) unbroken eggs.

There were two empty egg shells lying near the nest, likely from the insides being eaten. I know a broody will get rid of unfertilized or 'dead' eggs but I thought that would be later on. My question is, is it normal for them to remove eggs from the hatch this early (since they're only a week old I guess they're still okay to eat) or is she a bad broody eating her own eggs?

As far as behaviour, she was out running around with her wings spread feathers puffed out, screeching at everything, attacking any other chicken that went near her. She ate, had a quick dust bath, scratched at the grass a bit, then ran back inside.

Other hens DO have access to her nest but have been avoiding her.

I did not have time to candle the eggs to check if they were fertilized or not, but I'm leaning towards not interfering with her unless she quits. We do have an incubator ready if she does and they are fertile.

 

[alexa009]

I've seen blood rings in eggs when only a week old, so its possible. Trust me, if she is running around screeching being protective of her eggs, then I'm sure she is truly broody.

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

I’d recommend candleing and marking the viable eggs then remove the non-developed eggs from the nest. Any eggs that look like they got egg mess on them from the eaten eggs should be removed as well. Clean up the nesting box. If possible separate her and best from others. good luck!!

 

[arrowti]

Insofar I've not been able to candle her eggs because she never leaves them...

She had 14 eggs up until this morning. I had an awful feeling that something bad was going to happen last night, and low and behold, something got to her nest. She has 7 eggs left and had a bunch of feathers torn out of her rear but is otherwise alright. Whatever it was (probably a skunk given she's alive), dug under the edge of the carport, where I didn't realize the frost had made the support come loose. I feel so angry!

She's still sitting on her remaining eggs, although a few were scattered out of the nest from the struggle. I plopped them back under her. I also had to dust her because I noticed some mites.

Going to do some major security upgrades to her nest so hopefully she and the remaining eggs make it to hatch. One of the eggs that had been kicked out was broken and I saw the mostly developed chick dead in its red-liquid membrane. Poor thing!

 

[arrowti]

UPDATE!

I can hear peeping from her nest!

Hoping for all the remaining eggs to hatch, but I'm, at least, glad there's signs in at least one of them!