Howdy Doody! I got a broody!

[TheRusticRebel]

So a couple days ago i noticed 1 of my hens , a 7 month old welsummer, was on the nest all day. She was there that night. I was worried because the last time i had a hen that wouldn't roost she passed away. ( a couple years ago) but this one seemed fine. So the next day she was on the nest and the next evening when i went to lock them in for the night i got close to her and was gping to examine her and she hissed and puffed all her feathers and flaired her tail. Today i put food and water in the coop near her because i dont think shes left the coop at all.


I was hoping for a broody but didnt think it would happen so soon.

If i break her will it stop her from ever going broody again?

If i move her to a little coop and run of her own with her clutch how likely is she to abandon her eggs because ive handled them?

If she does abandon it will she ever go broody again?

 

[TheRusticRebel]

Also i really need to get under her and see what shes got. I also have easter eggers and i dont want to hatch any of those. How many eggs should i leave her with? 4 or 5?

 

[Yard Farmer]

I was hoping for a broody but didnt think it would happen so soon.

If i break her will it stop her from ever going broody again?

If i move her to a little coop and run of her own with her clutch how likely is she to abandon her eggs because ive handled them?

If she does abandon it will she ever go broody again?

Well, congrats! That's awesome.
I bet you're super excited!

Nope!
It's only temporary.

Mmm, that all depends on the hen.
It's recommended to move a broody at night, and try not to disturb her too, too much.
As long as it's dark, quiet, and she has everything she needs, she should keep sitting.

Yes, she should go broody again.
I've broken a lot of broody hens. Some try sitting 3 or 4 times a year!

Also i really need to get under her and see what shes got. I also have easter eggers and i dont want to hatch any of those. How many eggs should i leave her with? 4 or 5?

How ever many you want to leave.
It's totally up to you.

 

[TheRusticRebel]

Well, congrats! That's awesome.
I bet you're super excited!

Nope!
It's only temporary.

Mmm, that all depends on the hen.
It's recommended to move a broody at night, and try not to disturb her too, too much.
As long as it's dark, quiet, and she has everything she needs, she should keep sitting.

Yes, she should go broody again.
I've broken a lot of broody hens. Some try sitting 3 or 4 times a year!

How ever many you want to leave.
It's totally up to you.

Thats all good to know! Thank you!

I am so excited. I hadn't thought this was a breed that would go broody but i was hoping!

I do have enough room in the coop for a dozen more hens or so ....but i was also planning on adding some cream legbars in the spring. I also need to make plans for more roo's. I dont know how easily i will be able to get them off my hands.

I might break her yet. I was just worried it would make her never want to do it again.

 

[Shadrach]

Thats all good to know! Thank you!

I am so excited. I hadn't thought this was a breed that would go broody but i was hoping!

I do have enough room in the coop for a dozen more hens or so ....but i was also planning on adding some cream legbars in the spring. I also need to make plans for more roo's. I dont know how easily i will be able to get them off my hands.

I might break her yet. I was just worried it would make her never want to do it again.

You should be able to slip your hand underneath her and lift her off the eggs enough to mark, I suggest six eggs, and remove the others. She will probably peck you a bit, she may even get right off the nest. It is likely that if she is sitting where other hens have access to the nest they may lay eggs there and you need to be able to identify these "donations". in order to remove them.

One takes a chance when moving a broody hen and her eggs. However, when I've done it at night and shut the hen in with her eggs for the night I can't recall a single hen out of lots abandoning her nest. It is best to move them after they have sat for three days. It's these three days that the hen turns her eggs to prevent the embryo from stick to the inner wall of the shell. Some hens will try to sit right through this stage and not come off the nest to eat, drink and poop until the three days are up.

 

[TheRusticRebel]

You should be able to slip your hand underneath her and lift her off the eggs enough to mark, I suggest six eggs, and remove the others. She will probably peck you a bit, she may even get right off the nest. It is likely that if she is sitting where other hens have access to the nest they may lay eggs there and you need to be able to identify these "donations". in order to remove them.

One takes a chance when moving a broody hen and her eggs. However, when I've done it at night and shut the hen in with her eggs for the night I can't recall a single hen out of lots abandoning her nest. It is best to move them after they have sat for three days. It's these three days that the hen turns her eggs to prevent the embryo from stick to the inner wall of the shell. Some hens will try to sit right through this stage and not come off the nest to eat, drink and poop until the three days are up.

Well that makes sense. This is day 3. I havent seen her leave the nest at all.

 

[Shadrach]

Well that makes sense. This is day 3. I havent seen her leave the nest at all.

You should check daily from now on to make sure she gets off the nest to eat drink and dust bathe. If she doesn't do it on her own, then you should gently lift her off each day to make sure she eats etc, until she gets the hang of it. Most hens do all this by instinct but some need a bit of reminding of what they should do.
Don't be tempted to feed her at the nest. Having water at the nest is okay.
Hens go into a broody trance when sitting on eggs. Should you have to lift her off the nest for a few days it's important that she fully wakes up. Make her stand and preferably run. The usual rountine for me with hens reluctant to leave their nest was place them in front of the food and hey would sink back into sitting, lift them up a bit and back they would sink. Once I had them standing properly they ate whatever I put in front of them. Next came a poop then many would jump into the air and scream, then run off to dust bathe. They all came back to the nest.

 

[TheRusticRebel]

You should check daily from now on to make sure she gets off the nest to eat drink and dust bathe. If she doesn't do it on her own, then you should gently lift her off each day to make sure she eats etc, until she gets the hang of it. Most hens do all this by instinct but some need a bit of reminding of what they should do.
Don't be tempted to feed her at the nest. Having water at the nest is okay.
Hens go into a broody trance when sitting on eggs. Should you have to lift her off the nest for a few days it's important that she fully wakes up. Make her stand and preferably run. The usual rountine for me with hens reluctant to leave their nest was place them in front of the food and hey would sink back into sitting, lift them up a bit and back they would sink. Once I had them standing properly they ate whatever I put in front of them. Next came a poop then many would jump into the air and scream, then run off to dust bathe. They all came back to the nest.

Ok i will start this tomorrow. I put water and food near her in the coop. So i should take the food away?

 

[TheRusticRebel]

Well i got under her today. Looks like 3 welsummer eggs under there. I marked them. Boy was she not happy with me.

 

[aart]

Well i got under her today. Looks like 3 welsummer eggs under there. I marked them. Boy was she not happy with me.

She'll get used to it.
You'll have to check everyday if other layers can get to her nest.