How DOES she do it??? any ideas?

[FisherMOM]

I have a broody bantam Cochin. I gave her 2 D'uccle eggs to sit on 2 days ago. Yesterday, she moved nests to where 4 of my girls had laid their eggs, seeing as Midnight the broody was in the preferred nest. I found and took the 4 eggs from under her, and put the D'uccle eggs back under her. (that had not been sat on all day) I did not notice the nest switch until way late in the day.

Now this morning I go out... and my other girls were laying in the other nest boxes. So I waited and just went out..no eggs?? Midnight looked BIGGER...I lifted her up and she had all 4 eggs that were laid today under her in the nest box that she was in. She had not moved. Can they MOVE eggs? I have a hard time believing that the other girls laid the eggs in the box with her. That box is NOT that big. But I also, cannot, for the life of me understand how she could move them...except, well, I remember that when she had chicks, I could pick her up, and she would some hoe, snuggle those chicks next to her body, and they did not fall out.

She is one persistent broody. I got no D'uccle eggs yesterday as they are starting to moult. But one D'uccle was trying to lay one today. IF she does, I will give that to Midnight too.

 

[Chicken Fruit]

iam sorry... i read the post and then got sucked into the avatar.

lol. priceless.

 

[FisherMOM]

LOL.... That is "Rose" the Rhode Island Red Rooster. he was a great chicken. Acted more like a dog. hence..bird-dog. Unfortunately, we had to rehome him. My head rooster used to torture him. We all loved Rose, and miss him dearly. But in reality, he was too big for the bantam hens that I have. He has a great home now and his OWN flock of girls!

as you can see by his name, ROSE was supposed to be a pullet. But instead... surprise!

 

[Chicks R Friends NOT Food]

Maybe they all got bored and decided to play musical hen boxes while you were gone just to freak you out!

 

[Bec]

LOL.....yes they can move the eggs! I don't know how, but mine did it too! I have 2 broodies on 8 eggs between the 2 of them. Before the 2nd one decided to go broody, just the one was on the nest on 5 eggs. I checked on them in the early afternoon and saw that there were a few more eggs in the other nest, I figured I would just collect at feed time like always. Well come feeding time, all the eggs were under the broody!!! There is a little lip between the nest boxes, so I am not clear on how she did it, but she did!

I have seen her reach her neck out and curl around an egg to pull it under her.

 

[FisherMOM]

These boxes are totally separate... that is so weird.

I wish that my webcam was wireless, I'd LOVE to see her do it! hahaha!

 

[Chicky Tocks]

I have actually wrestled with my broody buff orp over an egg.
I have personally witnessed her opening her beak around the egg and rolling the egg away from me. (this was an unfertile egg and it was MINE)! I've only seen it once. I've seen one other that would get the egg under her chin and roll it that way.

 

[Bec]

I wish I could see mine do it too!!! It is amazing!

The 2nd broody, her name is Auntie Sophie, she is a known egg thief! She will go broody and steel eggs to sit on! Which actually can in handy this time around, I have some eggs due before others!

 

[FisherMOM]

When I gave her the D'uccle egg this afternoon, I set it next to her and watch her push it under herself. I keep a golf ball in some of the nests still, and my chickens are always rolling it around underneath themselves before they lay.

 

[Chicks R Friends NOT Food]

I don't understand the golfball part...my hens weren't old enough to lay when they were..weaseled..and my new one isn't old enough yet so I don't really know much. Is it something I should know about?