/ Register

  1. If this is your first time on BYC, we suggest you start with one of these three options:
    Raising Chickens Chicken Coops Join BYC
    If you're already a member of our community, click here to login & click here to learn what's new!

odd broody behavior...?

Discussion in 'Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying' started by PuppyBantamCochin, Oct 30, 2010.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Oct 30, 2010 #1
    PuppyBantamCochin

    PuppyBantamCochin Chillin' With My Peeps

    113
    0
    109
    Apr 19, 2010
    One of our hens went broody a couple weeks ago, and about 1wk after she started we found a broken egg outside the nest, completely empty, with a bit of yolk near the nest. Because we have rats in our area, I immediately thought rats had taken her egg and broke it. We moved the hen to a secure spot away from the main chicken coop. A few days ago, we found another egg, with a developed chick, probably day 12-14, broken outside the nest. No predator could get to the hen. Is it possible she broke the egg?
    Why would she do that? So far, there haven't been anymore eggs being broken, but I'm afraid that she might do it again, and we'll lose the whole clutch before they hatch in about a week.


    Help?


    F.V
     
  3. Oct 30, 2010 #2
    SallyF

    SallyF Chillin' With My Peeps

    1,440
    7
    151
    Jul 5, 2009
    Middle Tennessee
    I've had broodies push eggs out because the chick died or because the egg was going bad. I always assume that if the hen gets rid of them, she knows what she's doing.
     
  5. Oct 30, 2010 #3
    greenSearcher

    greenSearcher Chillin' With My Peeps

    459
    3
    111
    Aug 22, 2010
    Texoma
    I read that hens and chicks in the eggs communicate during the nesting period. I can't remember when it starts, but there is a small vocabulary including comfort sounds, help, I'm lonely, to name a few. I would guess when hen pushes an egg out latter in the incubation period, the chick died and was silent.
     
  7. Oct 31, 2010 #4
    sourland

    sourland Broody Magician Premium Member

    63,071
    7,105
    726
    May 3, 2009
    New Jersey
    If there is not enough nesting material in the nest hens can inadvertantly crack eggs while moving around in the nest. In order to maintain a clean nest, they will then either eat or remove the broken eggs. Some larger hens are just very clumsy and more likely to break eggs when moving in or out of the nest. If other hens have access to the nest, they may be trying to lay eggs there. The resultant quarreling and jostling around can break eggs.
     

BackYard Chickens is proudly sponsored by