Polish Breeders Club

My two houdan hens went broody some time ago and they both sit on the nest. Yesterday, I noticed one of the eggs had pipped. The problem is that once an egg pipped the hens would peck at it and either kill the chick or make it hatch too soon. I ended up saving the first chick, they killed 4, then I took another egg that was pipped and let it hatch in the incubator. They still have several eggs that apparently aren't ready yet. I am watching them so that I can save any egg that pips. I may take all the rest of the eggs away but I did want to see if the houdan could actually hatch and raise some themselves.

Tough luck ! Sounds like you already have your answer though....its pretty hard to watch a nest closely enough to "rescue " the hatchlings so maybe pulling the eggs might be wise. 2 hens on the same nest is not usually a great situation. Maybe if you fenced off one girl with the eggs you might do better.

Well, they sat on them so nicely. Didn't have a problem there at all. It is the pecking at the pipped eggs that is a problem. I believe you are right though, I may just pull all the eggs.

My Sultan is a demon broody.  Nothing will separate her from her eggs and, when they hatch, she goes into some crazed attack mode.  I sure prefer my milder cochins and silkies as mamas.  As I write this, she's all poofed up in a storage bin with her 4 chicks.  I couldn't leave her around the other birds.  She's insane.

These hens did not peck at me when I went to get the eggs but if one of the roos came near them, they were viscious!