5-year old hen broody for the first time?

[Lori J]

Edit: i’ve already been informed that five years old is not old several times. Now back to the topic at hand....My orpington went broody, and my barred rock mix, who is old - five years old! - decided to join her. She has never gone broody before, although my orpington has done so successfully twice before. Last night, I was going to sneak some fertilized eggs under my older hen, but I realized that the two eggs she was sitting on were cold to the touch, even though they appeared to be under her... what does this mean? Does she lack the instinct of my orpington and just doesn’t know how to do it properly?

(we don’t have a rooster, so that is why I was adding fertilized eggs at night)

 

[VeryHappyHens]

My orpington went broody, and my barred rock mix, who is very old - five years old! - decided to join her. She has never gone broody before, although my orpington has done so successfully twice before. Last night, I was going to sneak some fertilized eggs under my older hen, but I realized that the two eggs she was sitting on were cold to the touch, even though they appeared to be under her... what does this mean? Does she lack the instinct of my orpington and just doesn’t know how to do it properly?

(we don’t have a rooster, so that is why I was adding fertilized eggs at night)

5 year old is pretty young. No worry's I hatched cold eggs before they came out successful she will probaly warm them up! She is probably talking a break.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Sometimes it takes a few years for them to start brooding. I have a Cochin bantam that took 7 years.

It's likely you came and saw the eggs right after she got back on them after going to eat, drink or go poop

 

[Lori J]

Sometimes it takes a few years for them to start brooding. I have a Cochin bantam that took 7 years.

It's likely you came and saw the eggs right after she got back on them after going to eat, drink or go poop

Sometimes it takes a few years for them to start brooding. I have a Cochin bantam that took 7 years.

It's likely you came and saw the eggs right after she got back on them after going to eat, drink or go poop

5 year old is pretty young. No worry's I hatched cold eggs before they came out successful she will probaly warm them up! She is probably talking a break.

Sometimes it takes a few years for them to start brooding. I have a Cochin bantam that took 7 years.

It's likely you came and saw the eggs right after she got back on them after going to eat, drink or go poop

It was at night. She hadn’t been anywhere she was asleep

 

[Lori J]

5 year old is pretty young. No worry's I hatched cold eggs before they came out successful she will probaly warm them up! She is probably talking a break.

I heard that 5 is old for a hen, but Anyway she was asleep it was night time when I was putting in the eggs. But you weren’t the only person who missed me saying that it was night time

 

[Yardmom]

Sometimes broodies take their breaks when the others roost for the night.

 

[VeryHappyHens]

I heard that 5 is old for a hen, but Anyway she was asleep it was night time when I was putting in the eggs. But you weren’t the only person who missed me saying that it was night time

An average hen lives up to 10 years some even live up to 12-15 years so I would call 5 years pretty young in my opinion.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I heard that 5 is old for a hen, but Anyway she was asleep it was night time when I was putting in the eggs. But you weren’t the only person who missed me saying that it was night time

Ehh, it's a decent age to get. But usually natural hens live about 10ish or so I'm told. It's just that most won't keep them after 3 because egg production drops and it's not economic to keep them then

 

[Lori J]

Sometimes broodies take their breaks when the others roost for the night.

Maybe, but she seemed pretty asleep.

 

[Lori J]

Ehh, it's a decent age to get. But usually natural hens live about 10ish or so I'm told. It's just that most won't keep them after 3 because egg production drops and it's not economic to keep them then

She’s very good at spotting hawks and giving warnings. She’s useful, still lays and also we are sentimental. She has started looking aged and thinning down this year as well. (please don’t take that as a request for medical advice or a diagnosis LOL, although I found 2020 was a tough year. I’ve never had chickens get sick before 2020. Guess we were lucky with our healthy chickens before that)