Do broody hens get distressed if eggs removed??

[Oz Chook]

I've got 2 broody hens!

Penny the Cochin Bantam and Hazel the Wynodotte have both decided to sit on everybody's eggs...

I was a bit slow on the uptake and didn't realise what was going on! So I just thought it was a coincidence that everytime I went out Hazel was sitting in the box, then I found out that nobody was collecting eggs because she was always in the box whenever anyone went out there - good communication going on in our house! So for 3 days the eggs were just piling up, she was pulling all the others girls eggs under her, so cute in a creepy way

Initially it was only Hazel that was sitting but then Penny must've thought it looked like such a good time that she joined in too!

Last night I got nearly all the eggs out (18!)

Today I got the girls out of the box and I got the rest of the eggs out.

When they went back to the box they looked and looked everywhere for the eggs and made funny little noises.

Have I done the right thing by removing everything? Or should I put some golf balls back for them to sit on for now? First time at this for me... Do they just sit for the amount of time it takes for a egg to hatch then do they move on or do they actually the end result of a baby chick? Sorry if these are silly questions!!!

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

These are not silly questions! I'm having the same problems here.

I do collect all the eggs several times a day, but I have to do so by force. I now have 3 hens that are broody.

My last broody hen just hatched eggs out last Tuesday. I kept taking the eggs away from her and she just kept sitting in one of the nesting boxes all puffed up and hissing when I got near. I finally gave in and gave her some bantam and turkey eggs to hatch. I still had to monitor her for exta eggs because other hens would crowd into the box with her.

If you let your hen keep some eggs and you can't keep her away from the rest of the hens mark her eggs clearly. You don't want any nasty surprises.

I don't know if it will stress them by moving the eggs, but I have learned it does not deter them. I just decided to give them some blue eggs to hatch.... might as well get the 21 day ordeal started! With the blue EE eggs it just simplifies the process of removing the 'extras' they might aquire throughout each day.

I have read that you can remove a broody hen to a wire bottom 'anti-broody' cage. Apparently the breeze up their 'skirts' will break the broodiness. It's worth a shot, and I may try it soon.
HTH!!

 

[simba49450]

hi there

i wouldnt worry, my girls have laid thier first eggs and they refuse to sit on them which is good cause i have no roo. the first time i took her egg she was confused and she was telling me if the "thing" was bad or if its gonna eat them. they should be fine even though they may fuss i know mine did

 

[Attack Chicken]

At what age will Standard White Leghorns go broody?

 

[Gloria]

I have 2 Standard White Leghorns that are about 4 years old now and they have never gone broody!

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Yeah..it's not about age so much as it is about breed. Typically, white leghorns don't brood much.