Broody Black Copper Marans stopped setting. chicks are hatching

[john in wa]

this is the second time this year she has went broody. both times she stopped setting after 2 weeks. went out today to check on her and there was 10 eggs and no hen. the eggs are cold but i broke out the extra incubator and put them in. the last time i was able to hatch a few out of her abandoned eggs.. I will not let her go broody again if she start to set i will gather the eggs and lock up the hen to stop her from setting.

 

[chicmom]

My BCM hen, Fancy, was broody for THREE MONTHS! I finally kept taking her off the nest everytime I saw her and she finally came out of it. Of course at the time, I didn't have a rooster........LOL

 

[TurkeyMountainChickens]

I hate it when they do that!

I love broody hens in general - no need to babysit the incubator! But some broodies just can't be trusted. I wouldn't let her try to hatch eggs again.

 

[john in wa]

This will be the last time i let her set. the first time i thought it may of been my fault. I moved her nest box to keep the other hens out of it. so this time i locked up the other hens to keep them from laying in her nest and she still stopped just days before hatch time.

 

[john in wa]

well the eggs i saved from the nest are hatching today.i have 2 chicks out and 8 more pips. i will update when i think the hatch is over with the total.

 

[onthespot]

I'd still let her set. Any day under a broody is better than a day in the incubator. Just let her give the eggs a good start, and take them at two weeks.