Moving Eggs?

[Squirrelgirl88]

OK - I can't wrap my head around this idea. How in the world does a hen move an egg? I keep reading random posts about broody hens stealing other eggs, relocating nests etc.
They don't have thumbs! I've seen penguins put the egg on the top of their feet and shuffle around with it. I have seen hens rolling the eggs aroudn with their beaks. But how would they actually get an egg from one nest box to the other without breaking it? Has anyone witnessed this?

 

[7L Farm]

I havn't seen this but heard they put the egg between their beak & throat to move the egg.

 

[stilldeb]

I wish somebody would stick a webcam in their coop and get a movie of a hen moving an egg. I wanna see it. I know my broodies must be doing it, too, but I've never seen them do it.

Now, my latest broody (a Mille Fleur D'Uccle) has apparently talked all the other hens into laying in her broody nest, because she will move over and they will climb in and lay an egg right by her and then she will sit on it. That I've seen them do. There are six nesting boxes in this coop and since this hen has gone broody, this is the only box with eggs in it. She might be stealing some, too, because I'm doubting the Brahmas would be able to squeeze their fat booties in there with her in the box.

As of yesterday, apparently, one of my black Silkies decided she would just go broody with her and now I have both of them in the same box. They are apparently happy as clams with each other, although the D'Uccle fluffs up to 3x her size when you stick your hand in there. They are both very sweet, though.

deb g

 

[Judy]

I've seen a few posts on here where someone actually saw this happen. Haven't seen it myself, either.