Are porcelain eggs giving my broody hen false hope?

[mrsmistoffelees02]

Hey everyone, silly question here, but I couldn’t find a direct answer online. I know a lot about raising chicks, but not a lot about laying hens yet.

I have a broody hen who has been trying to hatch eggs for at least 3 weeks now. She’s been broody before but stopped caring after 2 weeks, but she’s been on this kick for a while. I keep taking away real eggs and leaving the porcelain ones for her to sit on so she keeps busy, but my husband says she’s going to get depressed if she doesn’t have babies soon because she thinks the fake ones will hatch! As silly as it sounds, I do feel bad taking them away. Am I worrying too much, or is there something I should do differently?

I do have roosters, so wouldn’t mind letting her hatch a couple, but I would rather wait until spring... Plus I don’t know if the others would bully her or her babies too much. I definitely need to research more on that. Thank you!

 

[Painted Calls]

If you aren't going to let her hatch/buy her chicks to raise it will be better for her health to break her broodiness.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...rst-turkey-strut-to-weaning-the-chicks.76878/

This. Either give her chicks or break her. When they are broody, they ignore their own health in order to raise the next generation. They will slowly waste away.

 

[3KillerBs]

If you aren't going to let her hatch/buy her chicks to raise it will be better for her health to break her broodiness.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...rst-turkey-strut-to-weaning-the-chicks.76878/

 

[Painted Calls]

Wow. Thank you everyone, I will work to break her of this as soon as I get home today. I never realized broodiness could become a health problem - people always seem to refer to it as an annoyance rather than an actual issue. Glad I asked here. Always learning something new.

Oh it's definitely annoying too, haha. Good luck! We're here if you need help.

 

[Painted Calls]

Thank you!

If I do decide to let her hatch out a few and keep her with the flock, is there anything I should keep in mind? I wouldn’t mind having a few babies, but the thought of having chicks around some of my bigger girls makes me anxious… I don’t want to have to separate and re-integrate Ms. Broody Hen so she can raise them.
Is November a bad time of year to try and let her do this for the first time, or does Mother Nature take care of everything?

I will definitely be researching this in the mean time, but it always helps to talk to someone!

I personally wouldn't want to hatch chicks under a broody in November. How cold is it where you are?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

She's broody because she wants/needs to hatch chicks. The fact that eggs are under her only encourage that, even if they're fake

 

[Aunt Angus]

Please break her as des ribed above. She will get over it and get back to her normal self.

 

[mrsmistoffelees02]

Wow. Thank you everyone, I will work to break her of this as soon as I get home today. I never realized broodiness could become a health problem - people always seem to refer to it as an annoyance rather than an actual issue. Glad I asked here. Always learning something new.

 

[Painted Calls]

Not very - in the lowcountry of South Carolina. It’s typically in the 50’s/60’s now, we will occasionally get a warm day during this time of year (up to the high 70’s sometimes), but every now and then we will get a cold snap that drops to the 20’s/30’s.

You might be okay then. Up to you! I would decide rather quickly though so you can break her sooner than later if that's your route.

 

[3KillerBs]

OHH, I see what you’re saying now. Nevermind, that is much worse than just losing a couple fertilized eggs!

I could definitely get an incubator if it came down to it. I wish I knew exactly how long she has been broody for, it seems like more of a personality trait than a phase at this point!

IMO, it would be a good idea to break her, let her restore her strength after sitting so long already, and see if she goes broody again in the spring.