Broody hen destroying eggs! Help!

GigitheBackyardHerbilist · Wednesday at 12:52 PM

Yesterday I had three broken eggs and was so upset about the one that was fertile. Today my booty hen has decreased the number of eggs in her nest by about half. Does she know which ones are in fertile? One was fertilize yesterday. She's eaten these eggs. Should I remove the remaining eggs? My incubator is set up

Obsessed With Silkies · Wednesday at 12:57 PM

If your broody is destroying and eating eggs I would remove the eggs and put them in the incubator. Then I'd make sure that the broody hen has enough to eat and drink.

GigitheBackyardHerbilist · Wednesday at 12:59 PM

Obsessed With Silkies said:
If your broody is destroying and eating eggs I would remove the eggs and put them in the incubator. Then I'd make sure that the broody hen has enough to eat and drink.

Thank you, yes she was out early this morning which was a surprise. Normally she comes out in the afternoon. I'll check on her and take her eggs. This seriously sucks.

GigitheBackyardHerbilist · Wednesday at 2:57 PM

GigitheBackyardHerbilist said:
Thank you, yes she was out early this morning which was a surprise. Normally she comes out in the afternoon. I'll check on her and take her eggs. This seriously sucks.

*UPDATE* Now down to six eggs. My lavender orpington was on the nest the black australop (Shofar) was off. (Fluffy) the lavender, had laid an egg and crushed two. The last six are in my incubator now.

GigitheBackyardHerbilist · Wednesday at 9:46 PM

The saga continues. Shofar is so upset. She found another egg to sit on. And Betty my favorite my personal pick of our chicks the one I named, the one that's been picked on. She's the egg murderer! She was trying to get to Shofar, under her and that egg. I moved the egg and Shofar to the nesting box. Shofar leaves the nesting box and Betty goes in there and starts pecking at the egg. I just don't get it.

Happy hen lover · Wednesday at 10:00 PM

What the what the? I don't know if you can break an egg eater. Broody hens are a challenge for sure.

Tonyroo · Wednesday at 10:08 PM

Yep definitely sounds like an egg eater. You won't be able to use her as a broody for a very long time let alone keeping the other brooder's eggs safe from her.

GigitheBackyardHerbilist · Thursday at 6:16 AM

Just for the record, my chickens are well fed, well loved and cared for. I am always trying to improve their coop and run. She has no reason to eat eggs.

BelovedBirds · Thursday at 6:37 AM

GigitheBackyardHerbilist said:
The saga continues. Shofar is so upset. She found another egg to sit on. And Betty my favorite my personal pick of our chicks the one I named, the one that's been picked on. She's the egg murderer! She was trying to get to Shofar, under her and that egg. I moved the egg and Shofar to the nesting box. Shofar leaves the nesting box and Betty goes in there and starts pecking at the egg. I just don't get it.

was she not separated while nesting? Poor Shofar.
Does Betty eat any eggs?
There are things you can do to try and break this habit, but be sure they have plenty of food and calcium available.

GigitheBackyardHerbilist · 2022-07-15T17:33:49-0500

BelovedBirds said:
was she not separated while nesting? Poor Shofar.
Does Betty eat any eggs?
There are things you can do to try and break this habit, but be sure they have plenty of food and calcium available.

So I've completely emptied out the coop bedding and added all new. Just did that last week, but the smell... Wow. No one wants to use the nesting box now. I hope this helps. My garden will like the icky bedding and the compost got the rest of the destroyed eggs. Did I mention the smell? Good Lord!
This is the incubator someone here recommended this type. So far it works great! I tried to clean the eggs without washing it damaging them. Are they ok? Should I do something else to get the dried pine chip and broken yolk off of them?

Broody hen destroying eggs! Help!

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