Are you KIDDING me????

[remuda1]

Please tell me what is the earliest you've had a hen go broody???? I have one that has been laying for, at the most, 2 weeks. I think she's trying to go broody!! There are three of them and yesterday there were no eggs. I have three nest boxes, and of course this morning, it looked like rush hour in L.A.......... One of them was having a fit to get in a box but one of the others was in the one she wanted...... Long story short, she finally got in "her" box and just now after three hours, I made her get up. There was an egg under her and I made her go outside. I haven't been back out to see if she's back in the nest, but is it possible that she's wanting to go broody at this early stage?

She's a cuckoo marans that is about 23 weeks old.

 

[HEChicken]

Its possible but its more likely she is just working on laying an egg. I have a BO that regularly spends 3-4 hours at a stretch on the task. Since she is so new to laying, she may still be figuring it all out.

 

[Chicken Chickita]

My Silkie laid her first 7 eggs over 11 days and then went broody. I ordered some fertilized eggs for her hatch some eggs and as soon as her babies were out of the nexting box she laid 5 eggs and then went broody again. Again, I let her hatch some babies who are still with her, but the next time I'm probably not going to encourage more hatching. She seems to be pretty single minded, though.

 

[mommahen64]

My poor little old english game hen (bantam) sat for two days. I thought "wow...she wants to be a mom, how cute!". Then I found out she was sitting on a golf ball the whole time. She just started laying a few weeks ago.

 

[poseygrace]

My black cochin laid for two weeks and went broody. I broke her of it, but it took almost 3 weeks. Good luck!

 

[farmdude]

I agree, the young ones take their time.
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[nanawendy]

I agree w/ the above posters... My IB sat for at least 3 days. Once she finally layed the other older girls sang her praises