Eating eggs from a broody hen

[KerenR]

I gathered 10 eggs from my broody hen that she has been sitting on for 3 days. Is it safe to eat these eggs?

 

[Den in Penn]

Yes it would be safe to eat the eggs. There are those who eat eggs that have been incubated for a time as a delicacy. That said, there will be some noticeable development in eggs that that been brooded for three days. What's your euwww factor?

 

[KerenR]

They're actually infertile. Just didn't know if there was some sort of bacteria concern.

 

[donrae]

They'll be fine. When I have a broody I regularly collect eggs from under her every two days....eggs the other hens have donated to her cause, that I don't want her to hatch.

If you don't want her to hatch, it's best to work on breaking her broodiness. Brooding is hard on the body, and for no results seems so pointless to put them through that stress.

 

[Firbrd]

They'll be fine. When I have a broody I regularly collect eggs from under her every two days....eggs the other hens have donated to her cause, that I don't want her to hatch. 

If you don't want her to hatch, it's best to work on breaking her broodiness. Brooding is hard on the body, and for no results seems so pointless to put them through that stress. 

I'm new to raising chickens. Just curious, does taking her eggs away break a broody hen?

 

[bobbi-j]

It can, over time. I've had some half-hearted broodies give up after a few days of my taking eggs away from them. A truly dedicated broody may be harder to break. I tend to want my broodies to set for me, to I've never tried to break one, but there are several threads on how to break a broody. Most involve keeping her in a wire-bottomed cage for a few days.

 

[donrae]

It can, over time. I've had some half-hearted broodies give up after a few days of my taking eggs away from them. A truly dedicated broody may be harder to break. I tend to want my broodies to set for me, to I've never tried to break one, but there are several threads on how to break a broody. Most involve keeping her in a wire-bottomed cage for a few days.

x2. If they're really dedicated, no. Someone on here posted a pic a while ago showing a hen setting on a pile of nuts and bolts

 

[Firbrd]

It can, over time. I've had some half-hearted broodies give up after a few days of my taking eggs away from them. A truly dedicated broody may be harder to break. I tend to want my broodies to set for me, to I've never tried to break one, but there are several threads on how to break a broody. Most involve keeping her in a wire-bottomed cage for a few days. 

Thanks, I'm guessing it's best to just let chickens be chickens.

 

[bobbi-j]

Thanks, I'm guessing it's best to just let chickens be chickens.

That depends on the goals of your flock. If you want to raise replacement layers and a few cockerels to put in the freezer, then yes - let a broody set, hatch and raise a batch of babies. If your goal is to get as many eggs as you can from your chickens, you will want to break broodiness because she won't lay when she's broody. It won't hurt her if you don't let her set. It's not going to damage her psyche or anything like that. It will just reset her hormones and get her back to laying.

 

[Firbrd]

Thanks so much for the great info. We have 13 girls, they are only 6 weeks right now and I do want more chicks eventually.