taking eggs from under hen

[delfargo]

probably a dumb question, but....
i usually collect eggs twice a day; once in the a.m. before i leave for work and again in the p.m. when i get home. in the a.m. they always jump out of the nest boxes to get whatever treat i have for them (they love oatmeal on these cold midwestern mornings) but sometimes in the p.m. they are not so quick to abandon the nest and i have to take the eggs while a hen is sitting on them. is there any problem with that? sometimes they give you a look, you know? like "what the hell are you doing reaching under me & stealing my eggs?"
outside of it being maybe a little "rude", it's o.k., right?

 

[Imp]

It's OK. I get the stink eye and pecked almost every evening.

Imp

 

[Grand-hen-ma]

I have 3 girls that will peck at me when they are on an egg and I invade their space. And do they squak about it! LOL!! And with these 3, it doesn't matter if it's their eggs or someone elses. Thankfully my other girls will let me take their eggs and not complain. I offer rice and cheese, which ususlly occupies attention. I don't think it hurts your girls. Not like it does us, when you get pecked!

 

[chicmom]

I usually don't take the eggs from the gals when they're sitting in the nest boxes, but I have, even with a broody and I've never been pecked. I always talk to them a little bit......maybe that helps.

 

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

No problem...my girls don't mind...well, Petunia squawks at me but no pecks.

 

[banks]

I get a lot of Back Talk from my girls. One in paticular likes to peck. They all have their ways but they are none for the worse when I take the eggs. They get over it very fast.

 

[Lesa]

Most of mine, will stand right up and let me have it, and then snuggle down again. Did have a broody that squawked and pecked- but she got over that!

 

[Moochie]

I get dirty looks from my Daphne but I can get them from under her. I just move her head to prevent pecking. Afterwards though Daphne will get up and look round for it, I kinda feel bad when she does that.

 

[woodmort]

Yeah, mine squawk and peck once or twice then give up and settle back down. I always move the golfs balls so they think there is still something there. What I hate is when I reach in and the hen shoots out like a cannon ball.

 

[gryeyes]

Huh. The only eggs I have ever taken out from under hens have been when those particular hens were broody. The rest of the time, nobody has been on the nest.

I mark the eggs u deer broody hens, then reach ubder daily to count them. If there are more than the original amount, I take out the un-marked ones. This, of course, may involve removing a marked egg or two whilst checking for the un-marked ones. I put the marked ones back. After the fourth or fifth time I do this, both of my hens who have been broody would let me do it without threatening to peck me. Because I always left them eggs, they didn't seem TOO upset.

Wait! I have seen hens on the nest at gather time - I just wait 'till later. Sorry. That's why I don't recall ever taking eggs out from under 'em.