How long do you let a hen sit?

[csaylorchickens]

I have a hen named chicka Bon Bon. She is sweet and docile salmon faverolle. She has been siting for long periods on the nest. She will start to sit around 8 and it was already 1:38 pm and she was still there! I picked her up (boy was she ******) and held and let her for a min to calm her down then put her in front of her food and water in the run.
I know some hens go broody.
But she is only 5 1/2 months old!
How long is too long for them to sit? How long does this last?
I do want more chickens, maybe I should let her hatch a few eggs before it's too cold in the winter?

 

[Mountain Peeps]

It's not healthy for a hen to sit for no reason. So, either break her or let her hatch eggs. But, only give her fertile eggs if you are positive she is serious about being broody. Here's some links on broody hens you might try taking a look at.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/broody-hens
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/guide-to-letting-broody-hens-hatch-and-raise-chicks
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/encouraging-or-discouraging-broodiness-in-your-hens

 

[junebuggena]

I have a hen named chicka Bon Bon. She is sweet and docile salmon faverolle. She has been siting for long periods on the nest. She will start to sit around 8 and it was already 1:38 pm and she was still there! I picked her up (boy was she ******) and held and let her for a min to calm her down then put her in front of her food and water in the run.
I know some hens go broody.
But she is only 5 1/2 months old!
How long is too long for them to sit? How long does this last?
I do want more chickens, maybe I should let her hatch a few eggs before it's too cold in the winter?

It doesn't sound like she's full blown broody yet. My Jersey Giant girl acted like that for a few months before she finally did go completely broody. A broody hen will not get off the nest to roost, she will sleep in the nest. She might get off to eat, drink, and poo; but then get right back on the nest.
When she does go broody, give her a few marked fertile eggs to sit on. If you can setup a semi-private spot in the coop for her to brood, then do so.

This is my hen's brooding suite. She has enough room to get up and move around if she wants to. The flock can still see her, but they can't bother her, and the other girls can't add to her clutch.

 

[csaylorchickens]

She was sleeping in the nest last night and I caught her doing this three times last week! She might be doing it every night I am not sure. I just tried to move her again right now, because she went straight back to the nest, boy! She was a faverolle that looked like a frizzle, I did not know chicken feathers could stand up that high! She was royally mad, pecked at my hand softly, and sounded like a raptor dinosaur! I could not help but laugh, she was silly.
I guess I will just wait another week and if she is still showing signs of being broody, I would love for her to hatch a few eggs for me. She can be my designated broody! I ordered a large coop last week should be here soon, so I could have more chickens. The current coop is too small, but it would be great for a broody hen to sit and also a small run underneath for food and water when she wants to eat and drink!

 

[csaylorchickens]

oh and I have fake eggs in the nest, should I move them out and see if that breaks her of sitting? I took them out after I felt the girls knew where to put their eggs, but one laid an egg in the run after I removed the eggs so I put them back.

 

[junebuggena]

Removing the eggs will not break her of broodiness. It's triggered by hormones, not the presence of eggs. If she's officially been broody for a few days, don't wait another week before setting eggs. Get her some ASAP. They hardly eat or drink while broody, and it takes at least 3 weeks to hatch eggs. If she stays broody for much longer past that, she can end up weakened and susceptible to illness. My Jersey Giant broody is only 6 months old, and hatchery sourced. I wasn't expecting any brooding until spring. Now I have 3 other girls threatening to go broody, 6 chicks in the brooder, and 12 eggs due to hatch in about 10 more days.

 

[csaylorchickens]

Oh boy! That's a handful!

Well I saw that she finally laid as egg so I thought that was the issue maybe this egg was harder to get out but once again I removed her and took the eggs out she went right back into the nest. She has all the signs but she did lay an egg, so I don't think she is quiet full on broody. She puffs up, has the stare, yells at all the other hens when they enter the coop, and is pulling out small feathers to fluff up the nest. Worse case scenario if I get eggs and she doesn't want to hatch them I can just do it myself

 

[junebuggena]

Sounds like a good plan. I have my incubator ready and waiting, just in case my girl decides she's done brooding a little early.

 

[csaylorchickens]

Do you have to use an incubator?

 

[junebuggena]

If you try to hatch without an incubator, keeping the temperature and humidity consistent is difficult. There are a few tutorials on here about how to make an incubator using a styrofoam cooler. Basically all you really need is a heat source, an accurate thermometer, a humidity gauge, and something insulated to keep the temp stable.
Here is a good thread for a DIY incubator.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/949818/my-basic-diy-incubator
If you choose to buy an incubator, I recommend the Incuview from Incubator Warehouse.
It's basically plug in and go. The temperature automatically regulates, and it includes an egg turner, and it doesn't cost a fortune compared to other brands. The customer service is excellent as well.
http://incubatorwarehouse.com/incuview-egg-incubator.html