Hen Nesting Question

DublinCreek · Apr 28, 2016

We have a hen who is about a year old. She began nesting over a month ago in our coop. We will see her come out every few days to eat and drink. However, we have noticed that those times out of the coop have become few and far between and she is beginning to look pale. We put food and water in the coop in hopes that she will eat/drink more, but we are worried that because her eggs will not hatch that she will continue on with the nesting and possibly die from malnutrition. On a side note she is currently living with only chickens and one rooster, she has taken one of our smaller chickens under her wing (quite literally) and it looks like she is sitting mostly on chicken eggs.

Here she is with her chicken friend resting under her.

oldhenlikesdogs · Apr 28, 2016

Most hens will come out of being broody after 1-2 months without any intervention. If you are not using her to hatch it's best to not let them sit if possible. I have had good luck blocking their preferred nesting site by placing something over it like a log. You are correct that it is draining on them and shouldn't be encouraged without results. So either try to break her or let her hatch some chicks.

DublinCreek · Apr 28, 2016

Thank you! We will definitely try your suggestions and update as soon as possible!

levi81 · Apr 28, 2016

So my hen has been laying under my porch and she is laying on them butt is kicking alot of her eggs out and laying new eggs. But she keeps repeating everyday until she and the tom went in the woods and she came back to my coop. I went to find the tom and he was laying on one of her eggs in the woods. Will the tom continue to lay on the eggs she lay?

Hen Nesting Question

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DublinCreek

Hatching

oldhenlikesdogs

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DublinCreek

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levi81

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