I think I've been tricked!

[Larkin]

I have 2 broodies right now. I gave them both a couple of eggs (2 and 3). Yesterday I picked up an egg that had fallen on the floor, thought it was not from the broodies, cracked it to find a tiny embryo. Very disturbed that this poor guy must have fallen out and mistakenly thought of as a "fresh" one.
Now, this morning I checked on the girls and they both had eggs under them. Just now when I checked on them, one nest was empty! Under the sitting hen, there were all the eggs. I had no idea they "move" them! I thought maybe I had an eggeater or some other mystery to solve! So...I gave the emptynester 2 more eggs right now, is this just going to continue? Do I have an egg hog and my poor other hen will have no luck keeping eggs in her nest? UGGH, what drama!

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Quote:
They tuck them under their wings. Broodies love to steal other eggs, hence the reason most people will move them into solitary.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

You can mark your broody eggs with a pencil mark- like an "x" or something to avoid that happening again.

I reached under my broody every day to check for stolen eggs. I took her off anyway once a day so she would eat, and checked again that night when I closed everyone up.

 

[skeeter9]

That's hilarious!!! Aren't hens funny sometimes??!! A couple of years ago I was outside working on the fence and there was a ton of racket coming from the hen house. When I opened the egg door there were 3 broody girls fighting over the days eggs. It was like a soccer match for a couple of minutes until I could get the eggs out of there. The next couple of weeks were interesting to say the least! Broodies can be so single-minded! LOL

 

[TigerLilly]

Well I just learned something new! They really tuck them under their wings to move them?
I sooo want a broody!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
They tuck them under their wings.

I wondered how they were lifting the eggs OUT and UP and OVER the next box divisions.

Thank you!

 

[jenlynn4]

I have seen mine do it!!! They are tricky mammas when they want to be!

 

[terrilhb]

I did not know hens could pick up eggs either. Wow learned something new today. Wish mine would go broody.

 

[Fuffy]

Quote:
Last year I put my broody and her eggies up at the top of my field. I got her off twice a day for 10 mins on the timer, This time I have her just by my French doors where I can see her more. She gets up by herself twice a day, eats, drinks, poops, scratches around a bit and goes back to bed. Soooo lovely to see Nature telling her what to do!!!!

I LOVE my broody!!!!

 

[Larkin]

Quote:
Last year I put my broody and her eggies up at the top of my field. I got her off twice a day for 10 mins on the timer, This time I have her just by my French doors where I can see her more. She gets up by herself twice a day, eats, drinks, poops, scratches around a bit and goes back to bed. Soooo lovely to see Nature telling her what to do!!!!

I LOVE my broody!!!!

It's amazing isn't it! I'm so fascinated by this whole journey!