# Broody hens



## myhppyndng5221 (Apr 4, 2015)

So once again this year at my house, we have 7 broody hens. Yippie (but not really). They are sitting on huge nests of eggs. We have had 4 chicks hatch so far, and another one that didn't make it right out of the shell. In the past since there is all of the eggs chicks have gotten squished and died. I'm trying to prevent it this year, but what is the best way to tell what eggs are fertile and what eggs can get tossed? Unfortunately we have dumb chickens that when a broody hen gets up from her nest, they lay their egg their quick before momma comes back, ending up with a huge nest. We have tried marking the eggs in the past, but fighting with a broody hen is no fun. Any advice?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You have two choices, block her off from everyone else or decide fighting a broody isn't so awful.

I fought the broodies which 99% of the time was more noise than pain. Wearing gloves meant there was never any pain for that time one did decide to bite.

Learn to candle, if after seven days you don't see development then pull those eggs out.


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## myhppyndng5221 (Apr 4, 2015)

We have tried the block off method before. They go stir crazy and leave the eggs and chicks. What's the best way to candle. Never had much luck there we are up to 5 hatched and happy, and one almost out of an egg (hopefully she makes it).


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If you do a google search there is a ton of good information out there. 

Its not as intimidating as it might sound. A dark room, a maglite with new batteries and you can even see inside of a dark brown egg. You want to see red veins all along the inside of the egg, you might even see the embryo bopping around in there. I know I saw them a lot but my birds eggs were a cream color, not dark.


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## myhppyndng5221 (Apr 4, 2015)

We have a lot of real dark brown eggs from our reds so hopefully we can see. It's just frustrating to not know who is hatching and who is just laying. Surprisingly none of our silkies went broody this year. They are always our mommas. Will look for a light and try candling


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

The darker the space, the better with really dark eggs. I used to take my Guinea eggs in to the walk-in closet with the door closed to candle their eggs because of the shell thickness.


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