Stealing Eggs

[JTemple]

I have 9 egg layers. 3 of them have already started laying. My Barred Rock is stealing the eggs from my 2 California whites (I think that's what they are). But she's not sitting on them. She just steals them and then when I go to collect eggs, the barred follows me to the coop and squawks at me. Why would she take them and not try to hatch them?

 

[azygous]

Please describe this behavior in more detail. This thieving hen may be going broody. Where is she placing the eggs after she takes them? Are her eggs also in this stash? How is she behaving? Are her vocals changing from normal to a rapid low volume clucking? Have you inspected her breast to see if feathers along her keel bone have gone missing?

 

[JTemple]

She is taking them from the other nests and putting them with her egg. They all lay about 1 egg a day right now. She is her normal, sweet, quiet self. When I go to the coop she follows me, not aggressively but at the same pace as she follows me when I get their corn, and stands at my feet and clucks while I clean or collect eggs. It doesn't sound agressive, maybe just a little louder. I figured she might be going broody, but she's not sitting on the eggs. She just appears to be hoarding them.

 

[Ebony Rose]

She'll hoard them until she has what she considers "enough" to start sitting on them. All of her behavior, as you've described it, sounds normal to me. Broody girl.

I'd give my eye-teeth to be blessed with a broody hen.

 

[azygous]

You didn't mention checking her breast for missing feathers. That usually comes prior to nest sitting.

 

[JTemple]

You didn't mention checking her breast for missing feathers. That usually comes prior to nest sitting.

You didn't mention checking her breast for missing feathers. That usually comes prior to nest sitting.

She's not missing any feathers. Sorry I meant to add that in the last reply and forgot.

 

[azygous]

Then it's less likely she's swiping eggs because she's going broody. You may have a congenital kleptomaniac hen on your hands.

 

[JTemple]

That would be my luck!