First Broody

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krstms

krstms

MO Hick Chick
10 Years
Sep 23, 2009
1,034
1
153
Missouri
I currently have my very first broody hen. I cant wait to see the babies with their momma. I am a little worried though cause she wont get up to eat or drink. We have isolated her from the rest of the flock and kept a close eye on everything and it doesnt seem that she is doing either one. We put a little food in the nest by her and she ate that but we cant get her to drink. I havent seen any evidence like poo or any sign she's been in the food or water we set out. We tried taking her offf the nest but she just layed down on the floor and wouldnt move. It's been like 5-6 days. Is she gonna die from not drinking?
 
This may not sound like much but I have never had a broody and from what I have read on here they get up once a day to drink and eat and relieve themselves
 
I share your concern. Everyone said that they get off the nest, but I KNOW my girl was not. I take her off once in the morning and once in the evening. First I water everyone and put out fresh food and scratch. Then I take her carefully out of the nesting box. I first put her by the water and hope that she drinks. Sometimes she does. But most of the time it's just a few sips and she goes for the food. There have been a couple times when she has not drunk at all. She'll eat a bunch as fast as she can and she'll shake herself like a dog shakes. Poops. And man is that stinky!!!! Then maybe some more water and off to the nesting box. She never stays out more than 10 minutes. And it's cold here in Wisconsin so I'm glad for that. And I stay there the whole time that she's off. Sometimes the other girls peck her a little because she is "cluck, clucking" almost hte whole time. And when she is going back to the nesting box, I make sure she goes into the right one. And I watch to see that she yucks all the eggs back under herself. She really is a good broody. She's a Blue Splash Orpington.

You make the choice to do what's right for your flock. I choose to do this. Good luck.
 
No advice here as I haven't had a broody yet. Just wanted to say how happy I am for you with all the trouble you had hatching!!!
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For my girls, I put food and water with reach so they don't even have to move - just lean over and drink or eat. Mine generally do get up to potty, but many time I do not see them (and I am out there ALOT). When the chicks are close to hatching, I put rocks in the water - filling it up almost all the way - so a chick does not fall in and drown.

Some hens do go into a very deep broody and if not helped will slowly die. Not saying this is what is happening to your girl, but I have read of it happening. Another thing to check for is mites/lice - they can really do a broody in.



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Congrats on your broody.



I love a broody.
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Thanks new2chooks. I hope she does a little better job than I did. Cant be worse anyway. lol. She's a buff orpington and I am pretty certain she hasnt gotten up. I may try making her again. She's one of my favorites so I dont want her to die.
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My DH and I forced her off the nest last night and this morning. Last night she took couple of sips of water and ate a little. Then pooped more than I thought was possible. I guess she really hadnt got up for all six days. This morning we did it again. She ate and drank a little but didnt poop. She has lost a lot of weight and I am really concerned. I will keep a really close eye on her. If it gets iffy I'll toss the eggs. I dont want to lose this hen. Any more advice on broodies would be appreciated. Thanks everyone who has replied so far.

BTW did a quick count of the eggs and there is 16. I'm pretty sure a hen layed a couple while sitting on top of her before we got her moved. Anyway is it possible she can hatch that many? She seems to cover them all.
 
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It's hard to break a hen from broody they say. Just tossing the eggs is not going to help. My advice is to keep doing what you're doing. Most people don't take them off the nests. Some hens are just WAY stuburn. They will go days without eating and drinking. But it sounds like you have one like my girl. Super stuburn. And now I have 2. And the second isn't even sitting one eggs. But she's a "cluck-cluck". And I know I will never break that one. I have tried! She''l stop for a month and go right back to being broody. I gave up and am bidding on eggs in the auctions.
 
Will she take treats? Bring her pieces of bread, pasta, tuna fish, banana, whatever she'll take from you. I'd continue getting her off the nest at least once a day. If she's that determined, I don't think you'd be able to break her, so I wouldn't throw out the eggs, that will just prolong her sitting.
 

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