Spooky Broody!

[MigraineMan]

We pulled Miss Broody off her clutch to find 14 eggs ... and one broken one (indicated by arrow; the broken shell is nested onto another egg.) It's likely that one of the RSLs dropped a new egg on the pile of older ones. Things are slightly messy/sticky now, and we're down to 7 eggs from the original 9 - had to pull one with a cracked-and-leaking shell.

Miss Broody was seriously non-plussed at the prospect of being removed from her nest. She poofed-up like a big feathery ball and made a constant cuk-cuk-cuk noise. I am pleased that she went over to get a drink of water and eat some food, but she never de-poofed or quieted down. Then she stormed out of the coop and very aggressively started scratching in the run. The other birds just gave her some space. I tossed in a handful of black sunflower seeds as an apology.

I checked after an hour, and thankfully she was back in the nesting box sitting quietly on the eggs.

 

[Reurra]

Shes still in the box!

Yesterday when my son checked on them thats when he witnessed the fighting, he said she was really poofy looking. Hopefully now she can eat and drink in peace and hatch me some babies!!

 

[Reurra]

Ok another question!

Being spooky like she is, should I try to candle the eggs? And if so, when? Day time, night time? this is roughly day 13.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It won't hurt to just leave them be. Candling isn't required. When she gets off the nest remove the unhatched eggs carefully.

 

[Reurra]

OOoh, waiting is so hard!! 1 more week!!

 

[MigraineMan]

Agreed, waiting is tough. But I'm going to place my faith in a system that has been functioning for long before I have been in existence. Our broody hen seems to know what she's doing ... instinctively (which is likely better than my book-knowledge of chicken-behavior.)

With the warmer temps this week, she was a bit more animated when we checked on her today. She wasn't just a lump - she "poofed" when we petted her, and she was looking around and interacting with us. She also ate the broccoli crowns and carrot strips we gave her - didn't want her to miss out on all the treats the other chickies were enjoying out in the run.

Our projected hatch-window is May 8-10.

 

[KDMdesigns]

lol every broody hen experience can be different for sure... Sounds like she's been very committed, yes I detest when the rest of the girls peck on the broody as we are experiencing here also.. Been harder with this one since flock is a little bit more than last summer's experience but this hen has also committed and focused on her clutch I have given her.. Let's see!! I look forward to seeing your chicks also!

 

[beckycrouch5115]

The waiting is awful! I am waiting on my first ever broody to hatch eggs also. Should happen at the end of next week!!! I'm so excited!!

 

[adrikeen]

When I saw this thread topic and first few posts, I laughed and thought ....EE's won't spook...they spook me!!!
My EE did the same thing as Migraine Man's Miss Broody...she kinda went psycho when I tried to remove her from the next box and clutch, scared me half to death with the growling noises she made, snapped at me, rushed out of the coop, made a huge scene in the run and all the other hens got the heck out of her way! She eyeballed me the entire time I was in the run and upon me leaving the run she was right back on the nest.
No worries!

 

[Mraya]

I am also expecting my first broody's eggs to hatch on Friday. I keep going out to the nest to listen for the peeping sound of chicks.