My first time hatching w/broody, questions UPDATE

[porteryork]

Okay, so Pearl my gorgeous Blue Orpington from Bamachicken has gone broody and Janet was kind enough to give me a dozen eggs to see what Pearl might do.

She has been a good sitter, guarding her eggs and sitting patiently. When she got up for some water yesterday, I noticed that the dozen eggs was now only 6. There is no evidence of egg shells, no extra eggs anywhere? Where did they go? Did she eat them because they were not viable?

The eggs were 7 days on Sunday.

Thanks so much, Michelle

 

[77horses]

mmm...that's strange. I'm not sure. She may have eaten them...?

But since we're on the topic of broody hens, here's a helpful website for you: http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html

Good luck!

 

[Lollipop]

Doubtfull she ate them. I would suspect a snake. Just caught a rat snake in my stepsons house day before last. Many snakes will swallow an egg whole and a rat snake may have enough capacity for 6.........Pop

 

[porteryork]

Wouldn't my hen be upset? She seems very calm.......

 

[porteryork]

Great article 77, thanks!

 

[porteryork]

Well, if it was a snake, it is full. No more missing eggs but I found three very slimy eggs in a corner of the coop. Had already been in picking up the other eggs so maybe they were some of the missing eggs?

Very mysterious!