Brooding hen/incubator questions

Jun 20, 2024
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Hello, I currently have a hen sitting on developing eggs and she is on day 15. My question has a couple different parts:

1. She was showing broodiness for about a week before I decided to let her keep the eggs. Each day I had been removing the ones she collected on the nest box and she seemed determined and I had the space, so I decided to let her hatch some and moved her and 8 eggs to the maternity ward brooding space under my poop shelf. It was about 4 or 5 days of broodiness before I gave her the eggs, definitely no more than 7. My concern is will she give up on the eggs this week since she has technically been broody now for almost 21 days and will definitely hit 21+ days before hatch?
(It may be my imagination from worrying but I have a camera on her and she seems to be checking her eggs more often now and that is why I worry that she thinks they should be hatching any day now and would leave them if no chicks by Wednesday or so and that would only be day 18)

2. In my concern over the chance of her leaving the nest before hatch, I do have an incubator ready. But I hate for her to sit this long and not get the reward of motherhood.
So I was wondering if I should take the eggs and finish them off in the incubator and give her 4 chicks to replace them before it’s too late? Because I am assuming she would no longer adopt chicks if she breaks her broodiness to leave the nest?

3. If I do decide to give her chicks to adopt and finish the last 3-4 days of incubation of her current eggs in the incubator, is there a chance she would allow those to join her clutch if the 4 I give her are less than a week old and I add them at night?
Or should I just automatically know that I need to prepare to hand raise the ones I bring inside to the incubator?

I know this is a multi-layered inquiry, and I would so appreciate any thoughtful responses as I think through this.

Thanks again!

PS - a picture of Penny from today still faithfully sitting for now 🥰
 

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Hello, I currently have a hen sitting on developing eggs and she is on day 15. My question has a couple different parts:

1. She was showing broodiness for about a week before I decided to let her keep the eggs. Each day I had been removing the ones she collected on the nest box and she seemed determined and I had the space, so I decided to let her hatch some and moved her and 8 eggs to the maternity ward brooding space under my poop shelf. It was about 4 or 5 days of broodiness before I gave her the eggs, definitely no more than 7. My concern is will she give up on the eggs this week since she has technically been broody now for almost 21 days and will definitely hit 21+ days before hatch?
(It may be my imagination from worrying but I have a camera on her and she seems to be checking her eggs more often now and that is why I worry that she thinks they should be hatching any day now and would leave them if no chicks by Wednesday or so and that would only be day 18)

Broodiness is derived from their hormones. Having no eggs to sit on or nothing hatching, most will end their broodiness in about the 21 days it takes to hatch. However, once they know they're sitting on viable eggs, the hormones will click in or stay clicked in through the time it takes. It's good you have an incubator on standby in case she doesn't though. I think she'll stay on them.
2. In my concern over the chance of her leaving the nest before hatch, I do have an incubator ready. But I hate for her to sit this long and not get the reward of motherhood.
So I was wondering if I should take the eggs and finish them off in the incubator and give her 4 chicks to replace them before it’s too late? Because I am assuming she would no longer adopt chicks if she breaks her broodiness to leave the nest?

You may end up having to do this anyway if she doesn't stay sitting on them, but if she does stay on them, then she's doing the whole thing herself. I'd make sure to bring her a small dish of mash (moist chick crumbles) and water if you're worried, but she should be getting off her nest daily or every other day to eat/drink/poop.
3. If I do decide to give her chicks to adopt and finish the last 3-4 days of incubation of her current eggs in the incubator, is there a chance she would allow those to join her clutch if the 4 I give her are less than a week old and I add them at night?
Or should I just automatically know that I need to prepare to hand raise the ones I bring inside to the incubator?

This is something nobody can say for sure. It might work, it might not. You would just have to try it and see. Hopefully, she'll just hatch them herself and it's a moot issue.
I know this is a multi-layered inquiry, and I would so appreciate any thoughtful responses as I think through this.

Thanks again!

PS - a picture of Penny from today still faithfully sitting for now 🥰
She's a beauty!

I wish you a successful hatch, regardless of who does it!
 
Broodiness is derived from their hormones. Having no eggs to sit on or nothing hatching, most will end their broodiness in about the 21 days it takes to hatch. However, once they know they're sitting on viable eggs, the hormones will click in or stay clicked in through the time it takes. It's good you have an incubator on standby in case she doesn't though. I think she'll stay on them.


You may end up having to do this anyway if she doesn't stay sitting on them, but if she does stay on them, then she's doing the whole thing herself. I'd make sure to bring her a small dish of mash (moist chick crumbles) and water if you're worried, but she should be getting off her nest daily or every other day to eat/drink/poop.


This is something nobody can say for sure. It might work, it might not. You would just have to try it and see. Hopefully, she'll just hatch them herself and it's a moot issue.

She's a beauty!

I wish you a successful hatch, regardless of who does it!
@Debbie292d thank you so much for this great feedback! As of today (day 17), she is still sitting on her eggs. So proud of my first time mama so far ! :)
I do give her a little fermented mash daily and water right in front of her because she does not leave the nest willingly. Only once or twice I have seen her do it. So I take her off once a day and put her into the run to poop, dust bathe and stretch her legs a little. She stays off about 30 minutes or so, sometimes a little less, but then heads straight back to her nest.
I have to close the other chickens out while she takes her break because they won’t even let her settle into a dust bath. There are 2 or 3 hens who are so mean to her when she is off her nest. :(

Since tomorrow is day 18, I have a couple more questions if you don’t mind:

1. I know she needs to be left unbothered after day 18, so should I let today be the last time I move her or should I do it once more tomorrow on the actual day 18 and then leave her be for the remaining days?

2. Once I am leaving her alone the last 3 days, do I not even replace her food and water each day? Or can I still do that but just not move her off the nest?
Just wasn’t sure how rigid (don’t bother her) actually is.

I really do hope we get at least 2 healthy chicks. I have candled and see development in all but one of the 8 eggs. But in my lack of knowledge, I gave her eggs from young layers and so now I am worried (based on my reading after the fact) that these smaller eggs will produce weak chicks. I so hope that is not the case. :(

Thanks again for your wonderful help and support!
 

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