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How long will a broody hen sit on unfertilized eggs?

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post #1 of 5

4/5/11 at 4:46pm

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BirdsoftheHill

Joined: 10/2009
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I have a hen that has been sitting for 2 days. I have taken her eggs from her, but she continues to sit. I would let her hatch eggs, but alas with no rooster she would not have much success.

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post #2 of 5

4/5/11 at 5:30pm

austinandkara

Location: Magnolia (~hour N. of Houston)
Joined: 8/2010
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Well, the incubation is 21 days so maybe after that she will realize that they aren't going to hatch and she will snap out of her broodiness. If you do want to hatch eggs you could always buy fertile eggs from someone and put them under her. You could check craigslist and see if there are any hatching eggs for sale. Also, they sell hatching eggs on here.

post #3 of 5

4/5/11 at 5:31pm

nivtup

Location: Shelton Washington
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We have had them sit on air for several weeks.

I am currently planning to prepare to get ready to focus.

post #4 of 5

4/5/11 at 6:38pm

farmerChef

Location: Southern Georgia
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some hens are very serious about brooding, they will sit for months if you let them. Most aren't that serious and will realize after about a month that they don't have chicks and snap out of it.

If she stays on the nest for more than a week of you taking eggs and pushing her out, you might need to "break" her if your not getting any eggs/chicks.

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post #5 of 5

4/5/11 at 8:42pm

gryeyes
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Location: My slice of heaven in Somerset, CA
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A broody hen will often sit on a golf ball, or sometimes even NOTHING, for several weeks, attempting to hatch it. They are just that determined. It's hormonal - they can't help it.

I don't believe in "breaking" broody hens, but I do have <*ahem*> roosters in my flock (a lot of them) so my flock has increased through natural means by a few chicks hatching. (Plus I do a lot of incubating and hatching of my own.)

If I didn't have any roosters, I would try to get a couple of fertile eggs for any hen that went broody, but that's just me.

-- Linda (AKA: gryeyes)
I refuse to fight a battle of wits with an unarmed person.

Buncha Outdoor PET chickens, ducks, two Toulouse ganders, and four turkeys. Plus 2 wiener dogs, some bunnies and a rescue cat which owns me. Oh. And a house silkie....