Broodwing Nesting Guide: Build a Nest, Lay Eggs, and Feed Chicks

In Broodwing, you lay eggs by first completing a nest, then eating and pressing your egg-laying action at the finished nest. The nesting sequence observed for the raven runs through four material stages — sticks, moss, dry grass, and down feathers — and only after the final layer can you start laying. You can place up to five eggs in that observed sequence, and each new egg costs hunger, so eat before adding more.

This guide covers the full loop: gathering materials, picking a tree you can actually land on, laying and warming eggs, and feeding chicks until they leave the nest.

Build the nest first

The raven build is a repeated gather-and-return cycle, not a one-time pickup. Follow the on-screen material indicator (the "nesting stages" readout with distance markers) instead of flying around randomly. The first stage calls for eight sticks in the observed sequence.

A few practical points:

• Land before collecting. Aerial pickup did not register in the observed play, so plan a touchdown for each stick.
• Gather ahead. Moss, dry grass, and feathers can be collected before their stage is active, which cuts down on long return trips.
• Night vision helps in shaded or dark nesting spots when small materials are hard to see.

Pick a tree you can land on

Not every fork holds a nest. Look for a tree where several thick branches meet the trunk, then test your approach before committing.

The biggest mistake is choosing a nest that is hidden but hard to reach. In the observed raven play, a dark, awkward branch caused repeated failed landings, and eggs nearly lost warmth while the parent circled. A slightly more visible nest you can enter cleanly is usually better than a concealed one that delays every feeding run.

Weigh these tradeoffs:

• Landing angle: leave a clear approach from above.
• Cover: shade conceals the nest, but extreme darkness makes it hard to inspect and feed.
• Distance to food and water: a compact loop beats a scenic but remote tree.
• Water proximity: convenient, but geese tend to nest near water.

Lay eggs and keep them warm

Once the nest is complete, eat, then lay. In the observed raven play, egg placement was limited by hunger and a cooldown between eggs, with a maximum of five.

• Eat before each egg. You cannot lay continuously without refilling hunger.
• Warm the eggs. Returning to the nest keeps active eggs warm; neglect during a long trip risks losing them.
• Check the egg labels. An NPC egg shows a numbered name such as "egg one," while a player-controlled egg shows a username. Players can join as your baby, sometimes replacing an NPC later.

The gameplay video on raven nesting shows this lay-and-warm cycle directly.

Feed chicks until they grow

Feeding drives your whole routine once eggs hatch. In the observed raven play, chicks hatch one at a time, begin begging, and are fed by giving them your own food — the parent eats, returns, and passes food to the chick. There was no separate hunting step for the raven; it grazes on the ground for food.

How to handle the hatch:

1. Stay close during hatching. Multiple chicks can beg close together, and feeding is easier when you return before several are hungry at once.
2. Feed the begging chick. You can choose which chick to feed; if selection is fiddly, slow your approach and adjust the camera rather than landing at speed.
3. Keep warming. Newly hatched and unhatched eggs still need warmth between feeding trips.
4. Expect big chicks. They grow surprisingly large before leaving the nest, so keep checking hunger and warmth rather than assuming they are self-sufficient.

When a chick reaches its next growth stage, it flies off and disappears from view shortly after. In the observed raven play, the parent could not follow them to a destination.

The general Broodwing tips video frames the same loop — build, lay, protect, and raise chicks — as the core of the game.

Avoid predators on supply runs

Ravens are not built for direct combat in this loop. Survival is about routing and awareness.

• Bald eagles can grab smaller birds. Break off, gain distance, or use cover rather than flying straight at one.
• Geese near water can be aggressive, though behavior varied between encounters. Scan the shoreline before landing to drink.
• Keep trips short. A long supply run is the most common way to lose warmth and feeding at the same time.

FAQ

Do I need to hunt to feed chicks as a raven? No. In the observed raven play, the raven grazes for its own food and passes that food to chicks. The bald eagle is the bird shown hunting.

Can other players become my chicks? Yes. Players can join as your baby through an invitation or by hatching in, and a player can later replace an NPC egg. Check the name on the egg to tell them apart.

Why can't I land on my nest? The branch layout may be blocking your approach. Try landing from directly above; if it keeps failing, a wider branch structure is worth choosing on a future attempt.

How many eggs can I lay? Up to five in the observed raven sequence, limited by hunger and a cooldown between placements.