How many eggs will a broody steal?

[abooth]

Hey all I've got my second broody and I'd like to let her hatch with the flock. I know she will steal the eggs the other hens lay. That's fine with me. My question is will she ever get to the point where she says "I have enough eggs" or will she take all the eggs they lay everyday til the end of time. I am picturing this broody pushing all these eggs under her and the pile getting bigger and bigger and her rising up into the sky on a "ladder" made of eggs. What do you think?

 

[Wifezilla]

It totally depends on the bird. Some are reasonable, some are greedy

 

[pgpoultry]

Found my Brahma hen with 22, but she IS a big bird!

Sandie

 

[gryeyes]

My broody BO has been on 3 eggs for 9 days now. Hasn't added ANY to the clutch, even though other hens lay eggs in the nest box right next to her. Now, one gal did steal one of the broody's 3 eggs when she was off the nest for her daily constitutional, but I returned it to her when she came back. She did NOT pull that egg back, herself.

Does my broody have low expectations or sumpin'????

 

[Thomas423]

My one silkie went broody and she kept stealing all the layed eggs. She hatched 8 first, then 1 or 2 a day for about 2 weeks. Her pile finally got smaller and she surrendered it to another broody. Right now there are three piles of eggs and 1 female is staying put on her pile of eggs, but the other 4 take turns on their 2 piles.

Each day I go out looking for new chicks. The downfall to their system is that I'm getting chicks of different ages. I kept a few of the first batch(es) and sold all the rest. Now we are accumulating a second batch, but they need to be seperated from the older chicks I kept. I figure I will let them do their thing until late summer (or when I run out of brooder boxes hehe) and then I'm stealing all their eggs.

In the spring, we had 2 broodies. We watched the broody A steal an egg from broody B's pile when she got up to drink. It was cute and funny.

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
Would somebody please tell me HOW chickens move eggs (and golf balls)? I've noticed the golf balls ending up in different nests, and then I found one of the broody hen's eggs in another nest, and I just can't see how chickens move eggs around! No opposable thumbs, wings pretty much useless for that, do they use their legs and KICK the eggs???

 

[love_a_duck]

great question gryeyes!


i wanna know too!
how is it possible?

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

My broody stands over the egg and pulls it with her beak towards herself.. she is STRONG and fast, stole 3 eggs that I'd picked out of her nest... She'd stolen a dozen from the hen next to her, in addition to the 12 she already had, plus 5 eggs laid by my other hens, plus a duck egg... that adds up to 30... Brahma.

 

[pgpoultry]

The broody rolls them with her beak. Seen my Brahmas do it a number of times,

Sandie

 

[brendapa]

My silkies will steal every egg they see!
It never works out, i aways seperate

Brenda