hens breaking eggs?

[Fraoch21]

i have 2 broodys sitting on 9 eggs each(3 hen, 3 crested duck, 3 call duck) and it is now a week and a half before they hatch but they keep smashing the eggs, there are now only 2/6 call duck eggs left and 5/6 crested left and 4/6 hen left ? why do they keep smashing them up, im really annoyed since i spent a lot of money buying the eggs and they just keep breaking them! i now have a free bator, would it be safer to put the remaining eggs in there?

 

[gritsar]

Is each broody hen in a seperate nest or are they brooding together?

 

[Fraoch21]

they used to be in seperate nests but i posted something on here before saying that the hens managed to move themselves and their eggs out of their nests so they could sit beside the door and with each other. when they were getting the eggs out of the nest 2 broke and they keep moving about

 

[uncle rico]

time to fire up that 'bator and see if it works

 

[DinosRBirds]

Quote:
use the bator!!

 

[Fraoch21]

will i leave any eggs under them and if i dont, whats the easiest way to break their broodiness? thanks

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Do a search here on BYC, using the keywords "breaking broody". There's a ton of threads on the subject.

If you want to let them continue, I would seperate them. I use dog crates, of which we have quite a few for some reason. Move them at night and lock them in, so no going back to former nests. Provide food and water for each one, of course.