My top Hen lost her place in the pecking order while sitting on the nest.

[andi6313]

My lead hen, Henrietta is broody and trying to hatch some unfertilized eggs. We remove her from the nest everyday, however the other hens are picking on her. She has lost her "Top Dog" status. I was out of town when this started, so I did not get a chance to stop this right away. I am placing her by herself for a few days to stop the broodiness, but will she find her pecking order again?

And I had another question regarding the eggs she has sat on all day, are they good to eat? I collect the eggs everyday when I get home from work, but I read somewhere the heat of the hens body speeds up the "rottening" process. Please help! Advice much needed! This is Henrietta...

 

[sumi]

Those eggs are probably not good to eat anymore...
When my hens go broody they get pecked a lot by the rest of the flock, but once they've hatched their chicks and rejoined the flock things go back to normal quickly. So don't worry.

 

[centrarchid]

You could eat them all the way to hatch but after only a day of incubation the developing embryo should not be grossly evident when preparing / consuming eggs.

 

[andi6313]

Glad to know they will go back to normal after all this is over.
Sorry, I should have made it clear, these are unfertilized eggs she is sitting on. So there will be no baby chicks. And they've only been there for the day, because I collect them every afternoon. Do you still think they are spoiled?

 

[crissycriss]

Ive always heard to test for bad eggs place in water if it floats its bad,if it sinks it good.

 

[devora]

I am sure your eggs are fine.

What a pretty bird. The after-broody effect is tiresome b/c they do have to find their way again. And it's not guaranteed that she'll be top dog.

But she could win a beauty contest.

 

[andi6313]

Thanks, I think Henrietta should win a beauty contest too. Just an update since all this happened. I had to remove Henrietta from the flock and place her alone in our rabbit run (where we raised them) to keep her off the nest. Just a reminder, I have no Roo, so they are unfertilized eggs. I moved her back with her sisters and they are picking on her. She is acting submissisve to them and she runs away. Henrietta is the biggest of all our chickens and is really healthy. Zsa Zsa is doing most of the plucking of feathers which was the lowest hen on the pecking order. Henrietta is getting away, but she stays in the coop most all day and on the roost to stay away from them. They seem to be ok sleeping together at night. I check Henrietta everyday when I get home to be sure she is ok, (no bloody sores for pecking, etc.) from work and put her in the chicken tractor alone so she can get some peace time. I put her sisters in another chicken tractor close to each other. and I think she laid an egg yesterday since she became broody, as she always lays the largest, sometimes double yolkers or 2 a day. Maybe give them more time? I don't know, it just breaks my heart to see this going on. I worry about my babies!