This hen is wild....I can't touch her at all. She and a few others have decided to share a nest and this one decided she'd do all the work. There are 24 eggs in the nest
and one stuck to her butt. I'm really not sure which day she started sitting but I'm guessing this is around day 13 or so. This is the first time I have seen her off the nest since last Saturday...and I noticed the egg swinging between her legs. I'm assuming this little guy won't hatch?
There is no way I can catch her to get it off. Any suggestions or just leave it alone.
She showed up here almost 2 years ago and has never been touched. I honestly think if I forced her, the stress would kill her. Once the others have hatched do you think she would clean it off or maybe one of her trips off the nest it would eventually fall off?
Does she sit at night? That would be the best time to try and remove the egg. Just slip your hand under her and pull it off or if she is really wild you may just have to hold her to get it off.....
I am sure it is nothing that is going to kill her though
Probably doesn't feel so hot having an stuck between your legs LOL
--and I hope all those eggs in that nest hatch!! That is a big ol nest!
Ok....here comes the *I'm not slow, just not as fast" guestions. She sits day and night, if I reach in there at night...she is going to freak. Could this scare her so bad that she will abandon the nest? Earlier this year I had another hen that had laid her nest under an old lawnmower on the backside of the property, my Lab spooked her and she got wedged between the deck and the mower. We had to help her out and she never came back to the nest. This is why I am afraid to mess with her.
Is this egg stuck to her harmful to her in anyway?
I agree with Chicks_N_Horses,
I highly doubt that you will kill her with picking her up. This is a domestic bird, not a wild one. I mean sure you said she was "wild" but she is not literally a wild animal and is used to being around people, altough not up close. I would, like Chicks_N_Horses said, go up to her at night when she can't see that well. WEAR GLOVES if you want to keep your fingers, I also recommend wearing a long sleeved shirt or jacket in case she goes for the arms. The following involves at least two people if not three: Lift her off the nest and hold her firmly, she may flap, kick/scratch and peck
. This will only last a little while until she realizes she isn't going anywhere, so hold on if you can! Then have the second person try to remove the egg, using scisors if her feathers are stuck to the egg. Just becareful that it is the feathers you are cutting and not the chicken. I don't recommend pulling the egg off as I can assure you the chicken will not be a happy pecker when her feathers are ripped out. If you have a third person, have them shine a flashlight on the chicken's behind so that the second person can see what he/she is cutting/removing. If you don't have a person, stand by the porch light or some other form of illumination. I hope this helped
I only have one broody hen but she is a game hen and she won't let you touch or catch her unless she is sitting. During daytime if she is sitting she won't budge if I mess with her but boy will she draw blood by pecking. At night she won't even peck me at all when I mess with her. They are suposed to be alot calmer during darkness. I can't tell you for certain what she is going to do but just that the best time is night time to try...IMO
I don't think the egg is harmful to her at all...it may explode and ruin the rest of the eggs in the nest possibly....and make her realllly stinky.
I agree with Chicks_N_Horses,
I highly doubt that you will kill her with picking her up. This is a domestic bird, not a wild one. I mean sure you said she was "wild" but she is not literally a wild animal and is used to being around people, altough not up close. I would, like Chicks_N_Horses said, go up to her at night when she can't see that well. WEAR GLOVES if you want to keep your fingers, I also recommend wearing a long sleeved shirt or jacket in case she goes for the arms. The following involves at least two people if not three: Lift her off the nest and hold her firmly, she may flap, kick/scratch and peck
. This will only last a little while until she realizes she isn't going anywhere, so hold on if you can! Then have the second person try to remove the egg, using scisors if her feathers are stuck to the egg. Just becareful that it is the feathers you are cutting and not the chicken. I don't recommend pulling the egg off as I can assure you the chicken will not be a happy pecker when her feathers are ripped out. If you have a third person, have them shine a flashlight on the chicken's behind so that the second person can see what he/she is cutting/removing. If you don't have a person, stand by the porch light or some other form of illumination. I hope this helped
Good luck
My husband is out of town this weekend...I'll have to see if I can find some neighbors who have the courage to help me.
Not sure where you are in Oregon, but from Eugene to McDonough, Ga. is 2647 miles, about 40 1/2 hours. See ya in a couple of days...I'll let you hold the flashlight!
You can nab her at night. Chickens are very docile at night. If you are not certain get some garden gloves. You have got to get that off. You nab her and have someone else pull the egg.
and one stuck to her butt. I'm really not sure which day she started sitting but I'm guessing this is around day 13 or so. This is the first time I have seen her off the nest since last Saturday...and I noticed the egg swinging between her legs. I'm assuming this little guy won't hatch?
