Broody hen will not leave the nest

[Australorpfamily]

Though (and I feel TERRIBLE about this) when I candled her eggs I somehow managed to drop one. I feel just sick about it.

I totally get that. Our first broody and hatch, there was a slightly cracked one, viable and I was trying to wax it to see if it'd make it...and I crushed it, I wasn't even holding it tight or roughly, just a bit softer egg. I felt so bad but I know I learned from it. Candling does get easier. Good luck

 

[Possum-Pie]

Sad to hear about the dropped egg...Some folks don't candle their eggs I did b/c a hen doesn't always kick a rotten egg out of the nest. While it's rare, eggs have been known to "pop" or "explode" when the gas inside builds up. This is a smelly mess to clean up and it happens if bacteria gets through the bloom and the shell. I read too many stories on BYC about having to switch nesting boxes, put new straw, clean and move eggs, etc. all b/c a rotten egg broke in the clutch of other eggs.
Also, I learned to make a thick pillow of straw under the nesting box just in case she kicks one out. You don't want a rotten egg to break on the coop floor.

 

[Anon112]

I totally get that. Our first broody and hatch, there was a slightly cracked one, viable and I was trying to wax it to see if it'd make it...and I crushed it, I wasn't even holding it tight or roughly, just a bit softer egg. I felt so bad but I know I learned from it. Candling does get easier. Good luck

Thank you. Yes, it was a terrible feeling. I successfully candled like 10 eggs without incident years ago when using an incubator. I think that being crouched by the nest, at night, trying to hold the flashlight and the egg it was just a bad set-up. I should have been more patient and thought through how to do it more safely/with more stability.

I've settled my nerves a bit since I first started posting in this thread. I give her fresh water every morning and swap out her food. The food is in a dish and I smooth the surface when I put the new food in, so I can see that she is, in fact, eating each day. (As an earlier post said, not eating much, but she does seem to be in the dish every day).

At this point my main concern is that her poops seem very liquid and I'm not seeing one every day. This is day 12. I'm also going to be out of town for days 15-18, so I'm preparing a little "chick kit" for the people watching my animals on the off chance they hatch early.