Clumsy hen?

[Anonymous]

When my broody Orpington got up off her clutch of eggs this morning I could see that one had broken. Is this a common problem? Is she likely to have squished it or would it have gone rotten and exploded? She's only been sitting on them since Sunday but they were hatching eggs not her own. This is our first attempt at raising chicks.

 

[Chuck]

It's not likely to have gone explosive rotten at this stage so she pobably broke it. It may have been cracked or had a poor shell before she started sitting. Not a lot you can do but clean up the nest and the hen if necc.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks, I wasn't sure whether I should wash her, she's quite sticky but I didn't want to cool her down too much 19 .

 

[E3lx]

Wetting a hens chest and abdominal feathers is a way that is sometimes used to stop broodies, :| because they refuse to sit on wet feathers. 09 For this reason, if you do choose to wash her 09 , it should only be with a small amount of water, and dont soak her, and make sure its done on a sunny morning so she dries quickly 10 10 10 .