Why do they do that???

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

All my broody hens crack their eggs and then EAT THEM!

Why do they do that?????????????????????????????????

I'm just about to give up on letting ANY hens go broody because they're horrible mothers!

Am I going to have to just use my incubator??? Thanks for your thoughs.

 

[eac04]

Our most RECENT broody cracked two eggs, and it TICKED ME OFF.

I thought for sure she'd start cracking the other eggs and eating them too! Lucky for me (and the hen too) she just hatched out SEVEN baby chicks.

Do they have access to food and water? Are you prompting them to eat? Maybe they're just hungry and they know they can get a meal out of an egg? I have no idea on what would prompt them to do this.

What I do know, is that if this hen had continued to crack/eat eggs, she'd be in my freezer right now.


Elda

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Yes, they have food/water 24/7
WHAT??? EAT MY BABIES???????????????
One of the hens that is setting is my PET!!!!!!!!

 

[eac04]

Mrs. Fluffy Puffy :

Yes, they have food/water 24/7
WHAT??? EAT MY BABIES???????????????
One of the hens that is setting is my PET!!!!!!!!

LOL, I feel the same way towards my hens when they are doing the things they are supposed to - but once they start being mean or breaking eggs, it irks me to no end. Same goes for the roosters. I don't mind them taking care of the hens, but once they start chasing the kids - they get a TIME OUT. If they're lucky, it's me that catches them being naughty. If they are NOT SO LUCKY, it's DH that issues the punishment. And believe me, you don't want to be in those rooster's shoes when the BOSS catches you chasing his kids. LOL​

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

It's because they are missing something in their feed try hard boiling some eggs and giving them those or it could be they need oyster shell's other then that I can't help you out ......sorry.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I'm think once they hatch ( OR EAT ) all their eggs out I'm not going to let anybody else go broody unless it's my silkies.