Brooding Chicken: Do I Need to Make Sure She Exercises?

[The Dim Side]

Hi, all! One of our hens (an Easter Egger) went broody, so we're letting her sit on some eggs to hatch. She's a little over a year old, and it's her first time, and we have food and water near her. But I'm not sure if she's really getting up from her spot to stretch or anything. I'll hand feed her to make sure she eats something, though she doesn't ever seem to want to drink water. I don't know if I should be forcing her out of the nest to stretch or just let her do her thing. Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!

 

[raingarden]

She knows what's best.

 

[PedalPoweredPastures]

Hi, all! One of our hens (an Easter Egger) went broody, so we're letting her sit on some eggs to hatch. She's a little over a year old, and it's her first time, and we have food and water near her. But I'm not sure if she's really getting up from her spot to stretch or anything. I'll hand feed her to make sure she eats something, though she doesn't ever seem to want to drink water. I don't know if I should be forcing her out of the nest to stretch or just let her do her thing. Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!

I have pulled mine out of the nest every day or two because I don’t think she would leave otherwise. She runs around and clucks and poops, then takes a quick dust bath and is usually back on the nest in 8-10 minutes. I’m sure it depends on the hen, but this works for her. She’s going on lockdown tomorrow though, and hopefully babies over the weekend!

 

[Crazychickengirl2]

It's fine shes probably getting up to eat and drinking if you don't think she is then check her crop

 

[The Dim Side]

Thanks for the replies! It does seem like she's eating and drinking some at least.

I have pulled mine out of the nest every day or two because I don’t think she would leave otherwise. She runs around and clucks and poops, then takes a quick dust bath and is usually back on the nest in 8-10 minutes. I’m sure it depends on the hen, but this works for her. She’s going on lockdown tomorrow though, and hopefully babies over the weekend!

We hadn't noticed poop anywhere in the area, so we did try moving her outside the nest a couple times, and she poops A LOT then (like our goose who's broody, too). But I noticed she's rather wobbly when she walks back to the nest, so it seems like she isn't getting up that much.

She's also pulled out most of her stomach feathers. I know hens will do that when nesting, but I didn't realize she'd pretty much pluck herself completely. Is that normal?

 

[junior67]

Mine is broody as well. She will normally get off the nest once a day. There have been a couple days that she hasn't gotten up. I won't let her go 2 days in a row with out getting up, so far only once have I had to make her go out. Their food and water is outside so she has no choice to get up to get it. I read it was best not to have it right with her so she does get up and also doesn't attract bugs or predators to the nest box. She will run out eat, dust bathe, I assume get water but that was outside of the cameras view when the camera was in the run (it is now in my coop brooder with my ordered chicks) then run back to her nest. hope that helps. This is my girls first time broody and she is also just over a year.