eggs are due - should I just stay away?

[aquinas]

Hello all,

I have a first time broody hen (white rock). When I realized why she wasn't getting off her nest, I acquired four fertilized eggs and moved her to a safe spot away from the coop. She has been on them 22 days now but this morning I went in to check and she had destroyed one of the eggs. I assume the other three are still there.

In the last two weeks I've been able to feed her by hand but I would say the last three days she seems changed. If I even get near her she puffs up like a giant marshmellow. She gets that look in her eye that says, "one step closer and I'll become hysterical". I want to check underneath her to see if she has destroyed the other eggs but I don't want to cause any harm.

I can't tell if the destroyed egg had anything in it because I can't get close enough.

Any advice?

Many thanks

 

[SarahFair]

Id just stay away

Hens seem to know what they are doing

 

[carriehelene]

Only time my one broody tried to bite me was when her first egg hatched already. I could move her, check under her, anything, and she wouldn't react, right up until that baby was hatched. Then after the 2nd hatched (I only gave her 2), she was fine, let me check them, handle them, whatever. All the others couldn't care less when I handled them. So maybe she has 1 or more chicks under her. I'd leave her alone for now.

 

[aquinas]

Fantastic, thank you for the advice, you nailed it. I went in the next day and found her off the nest sitting on the garage floor. I couldn't see any eggs so I thought maybe she destroyed them all. Then her wing started making some unnatural movements.. and a little head popped out. 2 out of 4 hatched.

It amazes me that in the first 24 hours these chicks were running, jumping, chattering, exhibiting fear, etc. I would have expected "newborns" to just lie there like little babies. Mother hen has them walking all over the garage.

And mother hen is back to normal now too, she'll let me touch her and feed her again. They must have been right in the midst of the hatch, and that's why she was so defensive. Good mom. And she never even read a book.