I think my hen is eating the eggs when they try to hatch

[3SiameseCats]

I’ve had two eggs disappear from under her the past two days. We are at 21 days. She is closed in a dog crate, and there is no way something else is stealing them. I had to do an assisted hatch yesterday because she kept pecking at the hole in a hatching egg, and I was worried she would kill it. I didn’t have an incubator so I used a heat lamp, water, and tweezers, and thankfully the chick had already absorbed all its yolk and is doing well today. I know you aren’t supposed to assist with hatching, but I didn’t see any other choice.

She has one more egg under her. What should I do? I do not know if it’s begun to hatch yet, as I am not at home. I just don’t know what’s happening and I can’t find any evidence of blood or a body, only the end of an egg shell.

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

@Wyorp Rock
@Eggcessive

 

[BDutch]

I know you aren’t supposed to assist with hatching, but I didn’t see any other choice.

I don’t know what might have happened with the 2 eggs that disappeared. Maybe they didn’t make a sound and the broody knew they were not viable?
I would trust the pecking of my broodies over any assist with tweezers by me. But luckily you did it right.

Did you put the chick back under the broody?
Did all eggs all start at the same time? Then you can expect it to hatch any moment now. I wouldn’t interfere.

How large is the dog crate? Can the hen and the chicks walk around ? Is there a little run attached to it?

Just make a nice chick floor outside the nest with paper towels. Put some water and chick feed , 1 day after hatch day. About a foot (or 2) from the nest for the broody to see.

Good luck.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would candle the egg to see if the chick is still alive. Look for movement or if the chick is too big and dead. I have only incubated or had a broody hatch eggs a few times. They will accidentally break the eggs and either they are other will eat them, even a black snake will eat some (I lost 2,) and when they leave for a minute to grab a bite or drink, other hens will get into the nest and possibly break them, or keep them off the eggs. I had one who would get into another nest box on other eggs, and would have to put her back on hers.

 

[FunClucks]

It happens sometimes. Don't know if those eggs were alive or not.

I didn't trust my black broody b/c she broke some eggs when the chicks were starting to hatch, and then she went off and left them, so I incubated the rest of the eggs, then popped them back under her once they were safely hatched. [Started with 11 eggs, only got 3 chicks, and I know several more were alive but killed before hatch or while in the process.] I used fake eggs to keep her on the nest while the eggs were in the incubator for about 2-3 days until hatch, then removed the fake eggs and replaced with chicks. And then the broody let other hens pester and abuse the chicks! So she will not be allowed to sit again.

I have a different broody who protected the chicks well, has hatched broods of 6 -8 eggs successfully now, and will beat up any other chickens who even think of messing with her chicks. I will keep her until she dies of natural causes and let her hatch whenever she wants to sit, because I can trust her to do all the parts of her job well. Good broodies are worth their weight in gold, but not all broodies are good at it. My bad broody is a french black copper maran, which is naturally supposed to be broody, and does it badly. My good broody is a Starlight Green Egger, who is not supposed to go broody, but does it excellently. Depends on the individual chicken.

 

[3SiameseCats]

I don’t know what might have happened with the 2 eggs that disappeared. Maybe they didn’t make a sound and the broody knew they were not viable?
I would trust the pecking of my broodies over any assist with tweezers by me. But luckily you did it right.

Did you put the chick back under the broody?
Did all eggs all start at the same time? Then you can expect it to hatch any moment now. I wouldn’t interfere.

How large is the dog crate? Can the hen and the chicks walk around ? Is there a little run attached to it?

Just make a nice chick floor outside the nest with paper towels. Put some water and chick feed , 1 day after hatch day. About a foot (or 2) from the nest for the broody to see.

Good luck.

Yeah I was really lucky I did everything right.

Yes, I did put it under the broody hen, although cautiously. She was trying to peck at its head at first, so I opted to just have the chick slide under, which worked. The eggs went under a little staggered, but we are definitely all at 21 days now. When I candled them last, they all had a chick inside. Her first batch of chicks hatched Sunday morning.

It’s rather large, for a large dog. Mumma hen is disabled so she can’t move around easily, but the chicks have plenty of room. There is no run attached to it.

I’ve already put food/water down. Chicks have figured out how to consume both just fine. Mumma hen has moved closer to them because of her disability.

 

[3SiameseCats]

I would candle the egg to see if the chick is still alive. Look for movement or if the chick is too big and dead. I have only incubated or had a broody hatch eggs a few times. They will accidentally break the eggs and either they are other will eat them, even a black snake will eat some (I lost 2,) and when they leave for a minute to grab a bite or drink, other hens will get into the nest and possibly break them, or keep them off the eggs. I had one who would get into another nest box on other eggs, and would have to put her back on hers.

They were alive and looked almost ready as of Sunday night, when her first 3 hatched. I moved her then with her other 4 eggs and chicks into the dog crate. It stays closed when I am not there so she doesn’t get disturbed.

 

[3SiameseCats]

It happens sometimes. Don't know if those eggs were alive or not.

I didn't trust my black broody b/c she broke some eggs when the chicks were starting to hatch, and then she went off and left them, so I incubated the rest of the eggs, then popped them back under her once they were safely hatched. [Started with 11 eggs, only got 3 chicks, and I know several more were alive but killed before hatch or while in the process.] I used fake eggs to keep her on the nest while the eggs were in the incubator for about 2-3 days until hatch, then removed the fake eggs and replaced with chicks. And then the broody let other hens pester and abuse the chicks! So she will not be allowed to sit again.

I have a different broody who protected the chicks well, has hatched broods of 6 -8 eggs successfully now, and will beat up any other chickens who even think of messing with her chicks. I will keep her until she dies of natural causes and let her hatch whenever she wants to sit, because I can trust her to do all the parts of her job well. Good broodies are worth their weight in gold, but not all broodies are good at it. My bad broody is a french black copper maran, which is naturally supposed to be broody, and does it badly. My good broody is a Starlight Green Egger, who is not supposed to go broody, but does it excellently. Depends on the individual chicken.

Thanks for commenting, it’s just really been bugging me she has been doing this. I think I will try to hatch this last egg when I get home. Hopefully it’s either already hatched and safe, or when I help it out, it goes successfully. I don’t like having to interfere with hatching, but since I don’t have an incubator, I don’t really have much choice.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Mumma hen is disabled so she can’t move around easily

How disabled is she? She is going to need to be able to take them outside and teach them how to be chickens.

 

[FunClucks]

Thanks for commenting, it’s just really been bugging me she has been doing this. I think I will try to hatch this last egg when I get home. Hopefully it’s either already hatched and safe, or when I help it out, it goes successfully. I don’t like having to interfere with hatching, but since I don’t have an incubator, I don’t really have much choice.

Hope it goes well. There's an Article on this site about Assisted Hatching, I read that and have been assisting with most of my incubated eggs. It's good direction, and if they're ready to hatch you won't be harming anything. I just get impatient and want to see what's up, if I'm really waiting for an egg, or if it's gone already.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/