Broodie hen or no?

[Eliza_Snyder]

So I have a Barred rock hen who will sit on her eggs here an there durring the day. She roosts at night with the others however doesn't like me messing with her eggs. I'm new when it come to broodie hens. So bare with me. But is this normal? Isnt she suppose to sit on the eggs at night as well? I would like to let her try an have them if she's really going to do it..

 

[AlleysChicks]

If she’s truly broody she will only leave the nest to eat and drink for a limited time each day(15-30 minutes at a time). She will not roost with others nor lay eggs.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Sounds like she's thinking about it. I would set aside some eggs for her, just in case, and put some fake eggs (I like golf balls) in the nest box. That way, you don't have to worry about having any starting development, then dying because your hen left them at night.

 

[BYCforlife]

I agree with @sylviethecochin .

When my hen started acting like that, I made a nesting box more private to encourage her. In a couple of days she started staying in the nesting box almost all day.

 

[Taliasun]

When you don't have a roo, do you encourage the brooding? My Brahma has recently started sitting and I don't have the heart to tell her she's wasting her time.

 

[BYCforlife]

When you don't have a roo, do you encourage the brooding? My Brahma has recently started sitting and I don't have the heart to tell her she's wasting her time.

I would buy fertilized eggs if you don't have the heart to break her broodiness.

It's very unhealthy to let a hen try to hatch unfertilized eggs, because she'll sit on them for way too long.

 

[Taliasun]

@BYCforlife I might just nudge her along then since I'm not looking to expand my flock at the moment. Thanks for the advice!