eggs broken

[Anonymous]

we are very new to this and started with 2 cockrels and 2 hens, 1 started laying 5 weeks ago we got an egg every day we would take eggs and leave 4 on a nest she made on a oil drum in the garage. the other hen has not started yet but we feel any time now as the cockrels are making a noise and fluffing up in a corner of the yard. all are free to run a round and roost in the trees at night. any way the layer layed a very small egg then started to sit on 3 nornal and the small egg 1.5 week ago. then this morning when she went to get food i found all the eggs on the floor broken.... she came back and is still sitting with no eggs .... what will happen and what can we do..... we also got 6 baby hens 5 weeks ago and they live in a hutch and have a run in the day. i do not know the age but all have fethers and sleep in the hutch but when they get bigger well they well have free run of the place.

 

[victorias poultry]

I would try and keep your hens in at night now that the weather is turning cold instead of letting them roost in trees overnight.
If your hen is broody I would put her in a cardboard box with the eggs away from the other hens and cockerels so she has peace and quiet and get her off the eggs in the mornings to feed and drink, she will probably for the first few days go back to her old nesting area, just keep putting her back in the box she will soon get the hang of it.
The eggs could be broken due to a number of things for example (a) other hens scratting around nest area (b) rat taking an egg and disturbing the others.
At this time of year I would candle the eggs under your broody at 10 days as fertility drops considerably this time of year and is unfair to let a hen sit for 21 days on clear eggs.
Good luck with your next clutch.

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry my fault i did not say that i am an english man living in the caribbean so cold nights (what cold nights)..... :lol: and the 2 older hens and 2 cockrels run free around the house so to try and get them is just about imposible...but the 6 baby chicks i have trained to go back to the hutch at night time.....

The hen is broody but her eggs fell on the shelf and broke so she is sitting on nothing....she is in the garage whitch is very quiet and safe.

i feel as she turn the eggs they rolled off and fell all 4 eggs were on the floor....

So how do i stop her sitting on nothigh for the next 2 weeks

Andy

 

[victorias poultry]

You are lucky living in the Caribean!
If you have further eggs put the hen and eggs in a cardboard box, with wire on top for the first few days so she settles and life her off in the mornings to feed.
If you have no further eggs and want her to stop being broody you could try the following:
Shut the hen away from where she has been sitting
Put her in a pen with the cockerels, they will soon stop her being broody
Put her in a pen on her own on the floor without shavings for a day or two and she should loose her broodiness.
Some breeders spray water on them each time they try and sit on eggs (I feel this is a little cruel but I suppose in a warm climate she would dry pretty quickly and wouldn;t get cold).
Let us all know how you get on.

Regards Sue

 

[Anonymous]

ok thank Sue

I will try and let you know

 

[Anonymous]

The Caribean....I'm very jealous .

I haven't had a hen sit on eggs yet,but,I did read somewhere that it is better for a hen to sit on an uneven number of eggs,like 5 or 7,apparently, they make a better circle than en even number so are not easily dislodged by the hen.When you next have fertile eggs for her to sit on maybe give it a try.Has anyone else who has hatched eggs found an uneven clutch better?