Stupid broodies!

[minihorse927]

Well, have a barnyard mix hen that went missing about a week and half ago. Figured she had laid eggs elsewhere and was sitting on them mainly because for about 3 weeks prior I could not find any eggs from her, but she was still around the chicken pens and would go back in the coop barn at night. She is one of only two bantams I have and the other one lays darker brown eggs, which I was still getting daily. The black hen has since went missing along with about a week or twos worth of eggs! I searched and searched for the eggs and her with no success. Well, yesterday I down in the horse barn discussing the fact with my BF's 7 y/o daughter that I had two hens missing and wish I could figure out where they had their nest at so I could make sure the eggs and the hens were OK. Next thing I know the white hen appears out of no where screaming and carrying on. We watched her run around in a panic for about 15 minutes so I assumed she had it hid in the horse barn so we walked out and waited. She return quickly and jumped in the TRASH CAN! Now all that is in there is empty feed and shavings bags and lots of twine but still. I took her off the nest last night after she calmed down and placed a feed bag underneath her and lined it full of hay and put her eggs back because I found 4 or 5 she had knocked out the the nest she made of twine and they were no good. I left her alone after that and I am going to try to candle them tonight as the ones I cracked were fertile. The two were completely normal egg yolks that she had not sat on at all and the other two were rotten from being sat on and knocked out of the nest. Wasn't expecting all of these extra chicks and kind of made me want to choke her because I just put 16 BLRW and 14 longtail in the incubators! I will have to get some pictures of her "ideal" nesting area. Stupid chicken, now if I could just find the black hen that went missing about the same time as this hen!

 

[Summerlove]

Silly Broody!!

 

[minihorse927]

Figured I better leave her alone, she was getting agitated with me. I checked her eggs and out of 13 eggs she had left there was only one viable. I didn't think it was any good cause the air cell was detached so I cracked it and it was the only one with a live chick in it. I felt so bad after that. I gave her some eggs I bought. Hoping they turn out OK. hopefully we'll have 11 little longtails in 21 days. I was a little worried I agitated her enough when I candled her original eggs that she was going to leave her nest but when I gave her the new eggs she settled back in within a half hour. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for some babies! Tried to offer her some feed and water down in the barn so she didn't have to go search for food and water from now on and she got very cranky about it. My other broodies in the past have all been friendly enough that you could do anything you wanted to them but this ones a very different story. Think it's the game hen in her!