Sitting hen eating bad eggs?!

[RisingSpring]

I have a broody australorp who's been sitting on eggs for over 3 weeks now. She had about 10 eggs under her. On day 21-22 I expected chicks, but instead I've found cracked empty shells twice now.

The first time I assumed something got the chick right after it hatched so I moved mom and her eggs info a huge crate. Then it happened again, I went in to find an empty egg shell with some goo in it but no chick.

What is happening? Is mom breaking open these eggs that are duds?!?

 

[RisingSpring]

anyone??

 

[sumi]

Sorry to see no-one answered your question. It is a bit baffling though. I have had eggs disappear from under broodies, but usually if a hen disposes of a "dud" egg she will eat the shells as well, not just crack it open and eat what's inside. I'm suspecting some kind of rodent have been feeding on those eggs, as they tend to leave the shells behind. They can and will get in through very small spaces, which could also explain why they didn't cart the eggs off. They had to eat it where they found it.

 

[corkygv15]

I know this is late but I just saw my hen and her babies crack open one of her eggs she was sitting on. It was really gross because there was something inside like maybe a not full developed chick and they ate it. So it is possible your hen may have ate her eggs.

 

[ChickenLegs13]

Perhaps the big footed stepped on the egg and broke. By examining the shells it's an easy matter to determine whether the eggs was broken, or pipped & zipped then the chick dissappeared.

 

[hildar]

We had a red ranger hen that broke 90% of the eggs that she was sitting on it was all due to her being so heavy. She was awkward and would step on them, or she would sit down to hard on them and every time she would break them open. I caught her eating a few after she would break them.