Safely stealing eggs from broody???

[PirateGirl]

So Dela has been like this since 8:00pm yesterday (maybe earlier)...
She is sitting on my egg bounty from yesterday which is NOT fertile, I do not own a rooster. Any tips on safely taking the eggs from her? My chickens are not used to being handled. I just touched her to gauge how she would react and she pecked at me. I'm gonna be honest, I'm a little afraid to try and take the eggs because I don't know how aggressive she might be. Any tips would be appreciated. This is my first broody chicken.

 

[Dmontgomery]

Safer to do it when she’s sleeping. Wear gloves and a long sleeve shirt.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I just reach under and pull out the egg. She may peck you but she isn't going to full out attack or I can say since 2009 I haven't ever had a chicken hen full out attack just peck my hand. I have 4 broody hens and a broody Muscovy and take out eggs that are laid in their nests daily. Oh she'll probably scream at you too. lol

 

[PirateGirl]

I just reach under and pull out the egg. She may peck you but she isn't going to full out attack or I can say since 2009 I haven't ever had a chicken hen full out attack just peck my hand. I have 4 broody hens and a broody Muscovy and take out eggs that are laid in their nests daily. Oh she'll probably scream at you too. lol

Of course she is in the nest box that 4 out of 5 girls will only lay in too. I may or may not give her some fertile eggs. A neighbor lost their whole flock to a bobcat and we talked about me hatching some duck eggs for them next time someone seemed broody. I will try to steal the eggs soon after I finish up my other chores. Maybe I should wear ear plugs!

 

[ldawntaylor]

My way of protecting my hands from hen pecks is a bit different.

I have a light weight dish that fits over my hand like this...

I just use it kind of like a shield or something.

For me it works well. I don't like using gloves because I can't always tell how much pressure is on the egg.

 

[PirateGirl]

My way of protecting my hands from hen pecks is a bit different.

I have a light weight dish that fits over my hand like this...
View attachment 1420243
I just use it kind of like a shield or something.

For me it works well. I don't like using gloves because I can't always tell how much pressure is on the egg.

This is a clever idea! I have several different bowls that might work.

 

[aart]

Put on gloves and long sleeved shirt and go for it.
Calm yourself down, if you're nervous she will feel it and be more nervous herself.
Be calm, confident, and decisive...move semi-slowly and talk softly to her.
The first time will be the worst, but she will gradually get used to you 'handling' her.

I now take eggs all the time from under my birds, I want them to know they 'won't die' if handled, most of them acclimate pretty quickly.

I learned this when a previously 'unhandled' hen went broody, my first that I let hatch.
I touched her almost every day, lifted her up to see the eggs and/or stroked her neck and face, she did NOT like it at first, but I persisted and she accepted...good thing I did too, as one of her chick got it's neck tightly tangled in her breast feathers that probably would have died if I hadn't cut it loose while she calmly sat there.

You can do it!

 

[MaryJo6390]

Do you take their first egg away from them. It just seems kind of mean. My little Silkie has worked so hard to lay it. What happens if I leave it? Will she set it?

 

[aart]

Do you take their first egg away from them. It just seems kind of mean. My little Silkie has worked so hard to lay it. What happens if I leave it? Will she set it?

You take all the eggs, daily, and eat them....unless the bird is truly broody.

 

[PirateGirl]

Yesterday I got lucky and when I was doing some coop cleaning she got off the nest for a few minutes. Today I put on long sleeves and a garden glove and reached right in. She was not happy, but it was not as bad as I thought. In the end I just pushed her out of the nest box to get to the last egg. She is monopolizing the favorite box so some of the chickens have been laying in odd places too.