Broody Chicken Got to be Hungry?

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kprhok

kprhok

In the Brooder
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I recently built a chicken coop and purchased 9 buff orphingtons and a rooster from a local farmer. They've been great at laying eggs, but for the last two weeks I've noticed one chicken has not left her box. I assume this is because she is planning to hatch some eggs, which is fine. However, how can a chicken live for two to three weeks without ever leaving the nest? I thought virtually any animal would die if it didn't at least have some water periodically. I've never seen a chicken so still. Do I need to intervene in any way? I don't want to lose a chicken due to my lack of farming skills.
 
Dont worry about her, she will be fine. She will leave the nest at least once a day to eat, drink, and poo.
 
look around the run and coop for a really large poo, like golf ball size. Thats her getting up to take care of things. mine is penned in with water and food and only poos once a day but gets up a couple times for a few minutes to eat and drink. She usually sits tight when I go in the coop I think because she doesnt want me messing with anything.
 
As the others said, she will get up and eat, drink, and poo. Don't worry about that part.

You may already know this, but just in case. As you have elected not to isolate her from the rest of the flock, you need to check under her and mark any eggs that are there. A black magic marker works fine. Then, you need to check once a day and remove any unmarked eggs. They are safe to eat. The other hens will continue to lay in that nest. Any newly laid eggs will not hatch with the others. Also, if she gets too many eggs to cover, any that have started developing and she does nto cover properly will die. If you remove her from the nest daily to check for fresh eggs, she will probably take that time to eat, drink, and poo.

Many people always isolate a broody and would not do it any other way. Many people never do. There are reasons both ways. Both methods can be successful, a lot depending on your broody and your set-up. I have my isolation pen already built in case I get lucky and get a broody. I'll include a link to someone who does isolate a broody. Note she has a lot of room. Even if you don't isolate you will learn a lot fromthis link.

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/broody-hens-1.html

And here's a link on how to move a broody if you decide to go that way.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=162759

Finally, a couple of links to incubation websites. They don't apply to you as you are using a broody, but they will help you understand the process.

http://gallus.tamu.edu/Extension publications/b6092.pdf

http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/pages/publicationD.jsp?publicationId=62

Good luck.
 

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