Backyard Poultry Forum

hi I have a hen who's sitting very tight on some fertile eggs,i haven't been able to move her as she wont settle anywhere else but in the nestbox where other chooks lay,my question is,if I take her off the eggs once a day to take out the non fertile eggs that have been added to her eggs is that going to be a problem at hatching time? Ive never seen her off the eggs but when I lift her up she runs out and stays out eating,drinking etc for about 20 mins then shes back on the eggs again.im just worried about disturbing the incubation process.she is too aggressive for me to pull eggs out and check under her so I need her to leave the nestbox.thanks for any advice !

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3 x vorwerks

Don't think it affects hatching rates. I've always taken broodies off the eggs every day, sometimes twice a day if I'm close by. Put them down 20 or so meters away, they generally eat drink poo dustbath and shoot back to the nest between 5-20 minutes and turn the eggs well. Outcome is a healthier mum-chook for the chickens, not a half-starved bird with muscle atrophy from non-use. And something like welders' gloves for the ones that are happy to have a go at you.

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PC

Thanks I won't worry anymore but the gloves will be a must as she's drawn blood before thanks again

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3 x vorwerks

well finally I have success with fertile eggs 6 buff leghorn eggs were put under her and 6 hatched they are 4 days old now and all seem healthy and active and super cute of course I could sit and watch them tear around the pen all day, darn work, gets in the way of life

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3 x vorwerks

Great. Good luck with them for a 5/1 ratio. I'll have some hatching in a day or so: rats are our biggest problem now, district plague. They don't touch eggs, but need a Fort Knox brooder for chickens.

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PC

Great result!

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Cheerio, Rach
Blue Swedish Ducks

thanks guys,i never thought of rats being a problem with chicks I guess they can be!

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3 x vorwerks

Some years ago I had 60 black Pekin chickens in a brooder just a few days old.
In the space of 24 hrs they were all dead. killed by rats.
They killed like a fox for pure pleasure and dropped the chicken to kill another.

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Malay Game specialist Std & bantam. Breeding since 1968, interested in breed since 1950's

thats terrible oaklands,what a massive loss,im scared now,i hope mum fends off any rats that may come around or my cats get them first (ideal)

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3 x vorwerks

No the feeling with rats, years ago one had got in finch aviary went to check on the avairy and was like where are all the finchs, bloody rat had killed almost all of them , big set back.