Does Phoebe Know?

[Deleted]

Phoebe has stopped sitting on her eggs today. Does she know they are all infertile? The first one should have hatched on the 18th and the 5th tomorrow. I have the breeding cage set up so I can put the pair in there today without having to worry about upsetting her by removing her eggs.

[nat]

I'm not sure if they know, or if they just get fed up waiting. But it does seem like they know when the chicks should be due to hatch. I've noticed the males take more eggfood at that time even if they don't usually like it. One pair of mine actually ate all their 8 infertile eggs a few days after they were due to hatch!

[Deleted]

I found one egg on the floor and the others stone cold. Before I went in to catch them she was having a good clean out, trying to dump the eggs I think. I have put some of the wood shavings from the old nest box into the new one so she knows its hers.

[BudgiesBuddy]

I have never experienced a hen not incubating the eggs for 3 to 4 weeks. SO I don't think they know the eggs are infertile.

However a hen can know a day before the hatching that a egg is about to hatch.