Egg Question? Egg Mystery...

[CaliBlueChicken]

I was just wondering. About a week before my hens eggs were due to hatch, I went out to check on her and one of the eggs was out from underneath her right up by her chest. It was just the shell and opened/cracked on the side, it reminded me of a soup bowl by the way it was opened (if that makes any sense or hleps with a visual) and because the way it was positioned she could have just stuck her beak down in it like a soup bowl. Nothing left inside.. did she eat it?

I am wondering if one of the other chickens got it? Has this happened to anyone else, I am just wondering... Also if it helps she is an Orpington/Wyadonette mix. Thanks!

 

[FenDruadin]

Could be the egg went bad and she removed it from the nest. I don't know about chickens, but my ducks remove the eggs by sticking their bill into the side of it and tossing or carrying it out. Weird that it was by her chest, though--maybe she was eating it in order to keep her nest area clean? Is she in a brood box or confined to a small area so that she couldn't remove it away from the nest area? Or is it chilly where you are and so she doesn't want to leave the eggs for the few moments it would take to move the egg?

Some broodies do go a little stir crazy and will eat eggs. It also could have been someone else in the coop. Sorry I'm not more help, but I do hope it was just a bad egg she was cleaning out.

 

[CaliBlueChicken]

Quote:
No you were helpful thank you. She can get out, her nesting area is inside the coop... and it has been pretty warm here, but cooler than average. Well, it could have been another animal or something while she was out exercizing/drinking/bathing. She would do that once a day at the warmest part of the day. This happened towards the end of the day when it was getting cooler out. Well thanks again

 

[Kittymomma]

One of my broody girls did that. She was in a dog house inside a dog kennel so plenty of room and no other chooks to bother her. She didn't bother any more eggs and hatched out 7 chicks so I think either that egg was bad or that she cracked it when she got back on the nest after her poo/eat/drink break and then ate it.

ETA: I've had other broody hens "kick" eggs out of the nest, but she's the only one that ate the egg so I really think that she cracked it by accident and then ate it to keep the nest clean and because, well they just can't seem to resist a broken egg.

 

[CaliBlueChicken]

Thanks for the post Kittymomma, okay well this all makes sense. I thought that was what happened but this is only my second hatch so I was making sure

hehe You all have a nice week!