Failed Broody Hen

[Emberheart7]

Last month we discovered that one of our hens had been leaving the flock (free range) and laying a clutch of eggs in the unused doghouse. She started with ten eggs. We immediately moved her into the shed with a fresh nest of hay in a box to protect her from the dogs. After candling a couple of the eggs the next day, I decided they were about ten days into development, and I didn’t candle the rest after reading that it wasn’t necessary. We mostly left her alone for a few days while we argued with a couple other hens about whether they wanted to be broody or not. When we next checked on her clutch, there were only eight eggs total, and one was cracked open, revealing the membrane. I candled all of them and decided they were at day sixteen or so. When I was about to get rid of the cracked egg and another that had a detached air cell, the cracked one started peeping and moving under the membrane. We figured that it had no chance, but we put it back under her anyways, letting nature take its course. When I checked on them the next day, the hen had eaten most of the chick. Today, at the point when I really expected there to be at least the beginnings of hatching, there were only four eggs. The other two had disappeared without a trace despite the fact that when I candled them last week, I felt that they were all okay. I candled them today and all had detached air cells. One was basically soup, so I cracked it open and the fetus was barely an inch long. The rest look more developed from the candling, but no different than they did on day ~16. I would love any insight as to what might have gone wrong. This hen is clearly not meant to be a mother despite her extreme devotion, but I’d still like to know why or what she was doing wrong, because this whole situation has caused me a lot of stress. Thanks!

 

[McChooky]

Last month we discovered that one of our hens had been leaving the flock (free range) and laying a clutch of eggs in the unused doghouse. She started with ten eggs. We immediately moved her into the shed with a fresh nest of hay in a box to protect her from the dogs. After candling a couple of the eggs the next day, I decided they were about ten days into development, and I didn’t candle the rest after reading that it wasn’t necessary. We mostly left her alone for a few days while we argued with a couple other hens about whether they wanted to be broody or not. When we next checked on her clutch, there were only eight eggs total, and one was cracked open, revealing the membrane. I candled all of them and decided they were at day sixteen or so. When I was about to get rid of the cracked egg and another that had a detached air cell, the cracked one started peeping and moving under the membrane. We figured that it had no chance, but we put it back under her anyways, letting nature take its course. When I checked on them the next day, the hen had eaten most of the chick. Today, at the point when I really expected there to be at least the beginnings of hatching, there were only four eggs. The other two had disappeared without a trace despite the fact that when I candled them last week, I felt that they were all okay. I candled them today and all had detached air cells. One was basically soup, so I cracked it open and the fetus was barely an inch long. The rest look more developed from the candling, but no different than they did on day ~16. I would love any insight as to what might have gone wrong. This hen is clearly not meant to be a mother despite her extreme devotion, but I’d still like to know why or what she was doing wrong, because this whole situation has caused me a lot of stress. Thanks!

Moving a hen or messing with the eggs can cause them to abandon or break every egg in the whole nest.

 

[Altairsky]

Broody hens should be moved to a nest where no other hens have access to, but this should be done before she actually start sitting on good eggs. If a hen is halfway through incubation, she should be left alone or the risk of her abandoning the eggs is high.

 

[Lelilamom]

A few things. Other hens will steal and eat the eggs/unhatched chicks until they are all gone.
Many broody hens will sense an egg is not incubating properly and will destroy the egg.
The eggs may not have been incubating at all - I've candled hundreds of eggs over the years and I judge incorrectly at least one egg per clutch.
My broody is sitting on 7. I candled them at day 14 and 20 and saw 5 with chicks in them. It's now day 23 and nothing is peeping, zipping or moving. She's been absolutely devoted and no other hens get to her.
The moral of the story is: Nature knows better than we do.

 

[SweetieChicken234]

Moving a hen or messing with the eggs can cause them to abandon or break every egg in the whole nest.

Just happened to see this post. My hen started sitting a nest yesterday. Should I set up a dog crate in the coop and move her before she gets too far into this?

 

[PoppasGrill]

Our bantam went broody 2 months ago. She kept nest hopping and we kept putting the marked eggs back under her. After 2 weeks there were none of the 9 marked eggs left in the nest. Although she is still broody .

 

[McChooky]

Just happened to see this post. My hen started sitting a nest yesterday. Should I set up a dog crate in the coop and move her before she gets too far into this?

Chances are she won't like it if its not similar to the one she has

 

[McChooky]

Our bantam went broody 2 months ago. She kept nest hopping and we kept putting the marked eggs back under her. After 2 weeks there were none of the 9 marked eggs left in the nest. Although she is still broody .

Give her a private spot where she can't nest hop or break her from being broody.

 

[McChooky]

A few things. Other hens will steal and eat the eggs/unhatched chicks until they are all gone.
Many broody hens will sense an egg is not incubating properly and will destroy the egg.
The eggs may not have been incubating at all - I've candled hundreds of eggs over the years and I judge incorrectly at least one egg per clutch.
My broody is sitting on 7. I candled them at day 14 and 20 and saw 5 with chicks in them. It's now day 23 and nothing is peeping, zipping or moving. She's been absolutely devoted and no other hens get to her.
The moral of the story is: Nature knows better than we do.

It can take up to 25 days for a broody to hatch chicks

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

Just happened to see this post. My hen started sitting a nest yesterday. Should I set up a dog crate in the coop and move her before she gets too far into this?

I would wait until she's been sitting for a day or two longer, just to make sure she's serious. You also might not want to put her in a dog crate, as that's open and not very sheltered. Broodies like dark, quiet places to set. If you do move her, wait a day before giving her good eggs, because after you move her there's a big chance she won't settle down.