Sooo much pooping

[pullusleggus]

Hello everyone. I'm a little worried about what to do with my broody hen. She has sat well before but today I found some eggy smear by the nesting box I had made for her and she was sitting on the remaining eggs in a corner (one is sadly cracked and I assume that means I should bin it....)

 

Anyway, I have placed the eggs back in the nest but I'm worried she'll just move them again and maybe break some more (and eat them). Any advice please?

[Cat tails]

I have to say I have never hatched eggs myself, but could it be that the nest is infested with either red mite or scaly leg mite? Making it uncomfortable for the hen to sit on it?

[Beantree]

Could also be to hot or too cold or a young inexperienced broody. How old is she?

 

The cracked egg can be repaired (a breeder I know uses a piece of micropore tape) but I personally would bin it.

[pullusleggus]

Thanks for the responses. I did check for signs of mite and couldn't see any so I'm not sure that is the problem. Too hot is a possibility as she had moved opposite the doorway, but I was worried she might get damp there if it rains again. She is in a bantam house and just tucked around the corner. She is about 4 or 5 years old and sat on eggs before but sadly they slipped out from under her at one point, until I put her in a lasagna dish (not roasting tin!) to hold the eggs in under her. She sat for nearly 4 weeks but the eggs never hatched having probably got too cold after slipping out. I have faith in her perseverance though.

 

I'm keeping an eye on the mite possibility but have given her Ivermectin as a precaution anyway - she's not laying after all. I'm also now checking her twice daily instead of kicking her out only once a day to eat and drink. She should be a fairly good broody being a cuckoo maran.

 

I may try the micropore tape as I am due to candle soon anyway. I only bought 6 eggs as having lots of chicks is not going to be sensible, but I'd rather not cut down to only 4 within the first 2 weeks.

 

Thanks for the ideas. I have spotted the eggshell outside so perhaps it broke and she ate some then tidied up. She is a lovely chicken.

[pullusleggus]

Just an update in case anyone else has a similar problem.... I found out that Norma was stepping on the edge of the nesting 'tray' and being a large bird she catapulted the eggs out of the nest. She has 3 left out of 6 but only one looks likely to hatch when I candled last week. They are due on Tuesday but I think I'll get a couple of day old chicks too.