Poor little broody hen freaking out

[Robin'sBrood]

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Wish I knew that one myself... My lil Sweetie is down to 2 eggs, and I check her eggs morning and night, no sounds, no cracks, just disappearing eggs....

Sorry to hear that, I know you wanted some babies.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

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Yes, that helps. So more than likely she is sitting on dud eggs. I'm more concerned about the fact that she is uncooped at night than whether the eggs are going to hatch or not. I'm just so afraid something is going to kill her during the night. She is my 7 year old dd's chicken and it would break my little girl's heart for something to happen to her Milly.

Assuming the eggs are duds (she's been on them well over 3 weeks), will she eventually figure this out, or will she try to hatch them forever? Should I give it a couple more days and then dispose of the eggs? Would that break her broodiness? Help, I don't need any more stress right now!

 

[BeckyLa]

I think you should pull the eggs out at night and candle them, looking for any signs of life. If they are alive, either give them back to her or stick them in a bator and put her in the tractor. If the eggs hatch in a day or so, you could slip the chicks back under her at night in the tractor and see if she'll accept them. If it takes longer for them to hatch you might want to put her with the flock and raise the babies by hand. imho. Good luck!

 

[missourichickenmama]

good luck!

 

[bloomnbeauty]

You start counting when she has laid her last eggs and begins to sit on them all the time.

 

[Portia]

I've had 4 broodies raise chicks in the coop with all the other chickens. Of course my flock free ranges so they go their own way once the coop opens in the morning. But the other hens all come back into the coop to lay and they are all in there in the evening/overnight. I have found that nothing compares to the protection of a broody hen over her chicks...just let another chicken even try to harass them. With the current temps, the hen has been keeping her chicks in the coop and they run around all day. I throw scratch in and have a special feeder/water for them to reach (the others for the adults are hanging). In the warmer weather, the hen has her chicks out ranging with her in as little as 3 days after hatch! I love it and don't have to do ANYTHING cause mama takes care for them 24/7.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

Still no signs of chicks and she's still sitting... or is it setting? I'll give her until the after Christmas since I don't have time to mess with her right now. The weather here has warmed up to the low 60s, after being in the 30s and 40s for a couple of days, so now would be a great time for hatching!

 

[Robin'sBrood]

Well, 4 weeks and nothing so I just pulled her eggs. What should I expect from her now that her nest is empty?

 

[chickenpiedpiper]

did you open any of the eggs to see what was in them? I just got another out of the fridge with a half formed baby in it. Pisses me off that My Sig nif Other cant seem to not collect from her nest. But in his defense, the marks I had made with pencil were gone. I dont dare use magic marker, afraid it might somehow hurt or hinder or something! but at least I know where her third egg went. She still has two, and I am gonna let her keep them as long as she wants..... but she is inside, safe and warm.

I hope your girl settles down, and moves back into the coop, will you block off her spot after she moves out?

 

[Robin'sBrood]

I'm glad you posted an update, I meant to ask how things were going for you. Sorry to hear about that one egg

but hopefully the other two will hatch for you.

I had my 15 yo son take the eggs to the back of the yard and crack them open. Nothing but rotten egg yolks and whites, no chicks at all. Whew, I would have felt really bad if there had been chicks in there!

I wonder if my broody girl will start laying eggs again since she's been broody for at least a month. Anyone?