What would y'all do?

[lilwanderer]

I have a hen who clearly wants chicks as she already calls them when she hears them even though they haven't hatched yet. Although, when she sees where they've pipped she wants to peck the egg, and im afraid she may hurt the chick in doing so. Anything that can be done?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is this hen actually broody? If she is, how long has she been broody?

 

[lilwanderer]

Is this hen actually broody? If she is, how long has she been broody?

19 days, and as i said she already calls the chicks when she hears them chirp in the egg. It's like she doesn't realize they haven't hatched yet.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So, she's sitting on the eggs now?

It's common for a broody to talk to the chicks while they are still in the egg.

Let her do her thing and see how it goes. Broody's can get stressed out by a lot of human interaction while chicks are hatching.

 

[Shadrach]

19 days, and as i said she already calls the chicks when she hears them chirp in the egg. It's like she doesn't realize they haven't hatched yet.

Broody hens talk to the chicks in the eggs from day 18 onwards. It's perfectly natural.

 

[lilwanderer]

Broody hens talk to the chicks in the eggs from day 18 onwards. It's perfectly natural.

im referring to her pecking the egg not her talking to the chicks. I've had many broody's before i know that they talk to them.

 

[lilwanderer]

So, she's sitting on the eggs now?

It's common for a broody to talk to the chicks while they are still in the egg.

Let her do her thing and see how it goes. Broody's can get stressed out by a lot of human interaction while chicks are hatching.

I dont mess with her often, I just happened to notice her pecking at the eggs where the chicks have pipped.