Please help; I have a broody/egg dilemma here...

[Laurajean]

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I was thinking of something just along those lines, giving the eggs a blessing according to my beliefs and then finding a special place to bury them.

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Exactly my thoughts. Part of why I'm freaking out. I don't want to bring more roos into the world if I don't know of a good home for them.

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This one hen is ALWAYS trying to go broody on eggs, but since I take them daily, I've never worried about it. I just take them gently and she waits for more, and we do this daily.


I think I need to take the eggs. I hate to do this, but hopefully with a proper blessing/burial, I can take comfort knowing I did the best I could. Hatching chicks that could ultimately be roosters would put those roos in the potential line of death in the future if put in the wrong hands, and they would definitely be sentient at that time, so doing this now may be better.

Thanks by the way for respecting my beliefs. I know a lot of chicken people think I'm crazy, but I take my vows of "doing no harm" seriously, even though I understand that most people think it's a bit 'out there'.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Does this hen only act broody at night, wanting to stay in the nest box? Does she spend time on regular chicken activity during the day? Many folks try to break a hen of her broodiness if they don't intend to let her set. A little while of this isn't too bad, but not usually preferred to let a hen go for too long.

I hope you're feeling better now, being sick stinks!

 

[Laurajean]

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I'm not sure the answer to your question. Although I've been bedridden for the last few days, I've actually been ill for quite a while, so I haven't been out there lately during the days to see how active she is. Tonight I went out and took the eggs. When I did I noticed she had plucked all the feathers from her chest. I've heard of this happening, but this is my first experience with it. Is it harmless, will they simply grow back?

Also, you said "...Many folks try to break a hen of her broodiness if they don't intend to let her set. A little while of this isn't too bad, but not usually preferred to let a hen go for too long..." What SHOULD I be doing differently? What's the best way to handle this, since she seems to do this a lot?

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

I applaud you for your convictions.

Although similar to mine but for different reasons. I was a nurse for 25 yrs.

and the number one rule was DO NO HARM which I took very seriously. The bottom line is your the one who has to look themselves in the mirror in the morning.

As far as breaking a broody there are many threads that cover that subject on this site. Maybe someone could post a link. I don't know how to do that yet lol.

to you and yours.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

There's a good discussion on breaking broodies here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=181289

The bare places on your hen's breast are her broody patches, made so the eggs can press against her bare skin and stay moist. The feathers will certainly grow back.

Some hens are more easily broken of their broodiness than others, some will go back to being broody soon, others may never try again. I think it's best for frequently-broody hens to be allowed to set, at least once/twice a year, that's the way nature made that bird and it's not fair to keep breaking her broodiness. You may find other poultry keepers in your area who want a hen to hatch eggs for them, find them on BYC or at your feed store. A hen can incubate all kinds of bird eggs, whether chicken, duck, goose, guinea, turkey, whatever.

 

[schellie69]

At a later time if you want more hens you could let her sit on some golf balls for a couple of weeks, then get your chicks already sexed and then one night put the chicks under her and she could raise them. That way no worries about roosters and she gets to be a mom. Its seems that this silkie is wants to be broody so this will be a daily problem. good luck and I respect that you have stuck to your beliefs I respect everyone's beliefs. I would do a search on here about broody hens and do some research. Good luck.

 

[dandelionheart]

I think your idea of praying for them and then burying them is a good one... sad, but good. I would also go one step further and plant a tree or something on top, that way those eggs will give specific nutrition to plant that will in turn, supply a home to a bird someday.

Good luck, I hope you find a solution that is gentle on your soul.

 

[Laurajean]

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Thank you so much. Your understanding and thoughtfulness means a lot to me.