OMG I feel terrible!

[Happily Retired]

This AM I went out to feed/water the flock and collect the eggs. Let them out of the coop and went back to get the one egg out of the corner of the coop, No sooner done then here comes the laying hen looking for her egg. She came in the coop, went straight to where she laid the egg and frantically searched for her egg. She trotted over to me and looked at me as if to say "Do you know where my baby is?"

Has anyone else experienced something like this? I feel like a kidnapper.

 

[JedJackson]

Sounds like you have a touchy hen. Mine usually forget about their eggs as soon as they've laid them and done the egg song.

 

[CoopBoots]

Yes, whoever has just laid or is thinking about it comes to nosey into my business the second I touch the nest box doors! Usually one or two runs into the coop and another one or two watches from around my feet. I leave them a couple of fakes at all times so I don't feel too bad

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Mine usually don't care less. Unless it's cracked, then they get mad when I take it.

But I also let them set whenever they're actively building a clutch (they seem to realize when they want babies to go somewhere else and will go back to the nest box when they're no longer hormonal. At least, in my flocks), so maybe that helps it

 

[rosemarythyme]

I've only ever had mine get mad for taking the golf balls that I use for fakes. I figured they didn't need them any more, removed them, and an hour later I had a layer pacing back and forth in front of the nests, very upset. I put the golf balls back, she went right in and settled down to lay.