Broody Hen in Decemeber!

[nchls school]

I don't know, but she really seems broody. If you place her anywhere, she just plops down and stays there, and she's all spread out to keep the egg warm.

Unfortunately, it seems my hen is not that smart. We had to move her nest last night so that she doesn't get attacked by a predator, and this morning the egg was cold, and as soon as we opened the door, she ran to her old nest, leaving the egg in the new nest. Would the egg still be viable, it feels like it came from the fridge.

She is broody. Most likely the egg is no longer good, but, it really depends on how long it went uncovered and how long the egg had been brooded. I'd put the egg under her then wait and see. Most hens do not like being moved. If you have to move her it would be best to wait a couple day before doing so. With her present nest, make it so the whole nest can be moved. Put her nest in a low box where it is then when you do move her she will not have a whole new nest. It does help if a move is needed, but still no guarantees.

 

[UrbanSilkies]

She is broody.  Most likely the egg is no longer good, but, it really depends on how long it went uncovered and how long the egg had been brooded.  I'd put the egg under her then wait and see.  Most hens do not like being moved.  If you have to move her it would be best to wait a couple day before doing so.  With her present nest, make it so the whole nest can be moved.  Put her nest in a low box where it is then when you do move her she will not have a whole new nest.  It does help if a move is needed, but still no guarantees.

The egg had been under her shouldn't have been cold for that long. She was on it this morning, but afterwards I saw her leave. She would have been gone, at the most 30mins from her egg. I will try to get some eggs from a coworker, because even if the chick is still alive, I'm not looking to raise silkies.

Unfortunately, I can't move the whole nest because the nest she chose is a big flowerbox that is fixed to the patio. I placed her back with her egg in the nest in her coop, and so far she seems fine.

 

[nchls school]

The egg had been under her shouldn't have been cold for that long. She was on it this morning, but afterwards I saw her leave. She would have been gone, at the most 30mins from her egg. I will try to get some eggs from a coworker, because even if the chick is still alive, I'm not looking to raise silkies.

Unfortunately, I can't move the whole nest because the nest she chose is a big flowerbox that is fixed to the patio. I placed her back with her egg in the nest in her coop, and so far she seems fine.

30 minutes usually is not long enough to ruin an egg. If the coworker doesn't have eggs, another source would be to check with local feed mills. The feed mills/stores here know everyone that has poultry and what they have.-----small town.

 

[UrbanSilkies]

30 minutes usually is not long enough to ruin an egg. If the coworker doesn't have eggs, another source would be to check with local feed mills. The feed mills/stores here know everyone that has poultry and what they have.-----small town.

Thank you. I'll see what I can find. The feed stores here (Canada) don't seem like what I hear from those in the US. It's more like a grocery store. You buy what you want, but they don't ask anything. They don't sell chicks in the spring either.

 

[UrbanSilkies]

So she hasn't layed a new egg, but I should be getting a couple shipped. They should arrive by friday. She hasn't been eating more than maybe 2 quarter sized amount of food each day though, and only if I give her treats. She won't eat her normal feed, and I'm not sure if she's drinking (it might be the other chickens. She hasn't left the nest to poop either. Is this normal? How much should she be eating? (She weighs 2.6lbs if that helps give an idea of her size)

Edit: I just realized that if I left her sit on the new eggs, they will hatch around Jan. 1, which would be around the time that I would be driving back home, which would disturb the chicks. If I wait before letting her sit on the eggs so that they hatch around Jan. 5, would that be ok? She would have been broody for about 30 days, is that too hard on her body?

 

[nchls school]

So she hasn't layed a new egg, but I should be getting a couple shipped. They should arrive by friday. She hasn't been eating more than maybe 2 quarter sized amount of food each day though, and only if I give her treats. She won't eat her normal feed, and I'm not sure if she's drinking (it might be the other chickens. She hasn't left the nest to poop either. Is this normal? How much should she be eating? (She weighs 2.6lbs if that helps give an idea of her size)

Edit: I just realized that if I left her sit on the new eggs, they will hatch around Jan. 1, which would be around the time that I would be driving back home, which would disturb the chicks. If I wait before letting her sit on the eggs so that they hatch around Jan. 5, would that be ok? She would have been broody for about 30 days, is that too hard on her body?

Many broody hens brood much longer than thirty days if allowed to. Having her brood an extra week or so will be fine. She will eat, drink, and answer nature's call when she needs to. Do not put feed and water close to the nest so she gets some exercise. Many hens stick to their nest closely. I've never lost one yet from brooding and I've had birds 50 years.

 

[UrbanSilkies]

Many broody hens brood much longer than thirty days if allowed to.  Having her brood an extra week or so will be fine. She will eat, drink, and answer nature's call when she needs to.  Do not put feed and water close to the nest so she gets some exercise.  Many hens stick to their nest closely.  I've never lost one yet from brooding and I've had birds 50 years.

She has food about a meter away, and there is also food for the whole coop on "the main floor". Unfortunately, since our current coop was built while she was broody (mice were getting into their old coop and eating all the food), she's never actually been down there and seems worried about jumping down. She can jump that high since her old nest was higher up, but my silkies are always a bit worried when there is something new.

Today I took her out of the nest to make sure she ate and pooped, which she did, but right after she finished eating, she ran away with the other chickens. I let her be for about 10 minutes, then brought her back to the nest, but she wouldn't stay and started squawking at me, so I put her back outside. About 30mins later, I was about to leave but she started to walk in circles near the outside of her nest while clucking, so I put her back in the nest, and she's back to sitting on her egg.

Thanks for reassuring me that her brooding for 30 days will be fine. I guess I should have some Red star x Delaware (not sure what that would give) babies running around soon.

 

[UrbanSilkies]

I was supposed to get the eggs today, but the eggs got lost in the mail. She is sitting on quail eggs, but from what I hear it would be hard for her to raise them since they are so tiny. I really don't know what to do now.

 

[nchls school]

I was supposed to get the eggs today, but the eggs got lost in the mail. She is sitting on quail eggs, but from what I hear it would be hard for her to raise them since they are so tiny. I really don't know what to do now.

If you have a mom and pop grocery, you could try some eggs from there. I've read where other people have done this and the eggs hatched.

 

[Naser]

I have a broody, 6 chicks hatched 4 days ago, temperature as I type is 3 C, they are fine, they have nothing special just Plastic Garden Storage Box in a sheltered site