Brooding Hen

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Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided to join our flock. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck with your Buff Orpington. I hope she is over her broodiness.
 
I have a brooding hen too! Almost 2 weeks now and she will come out every few days at either dawn or at dusk and she will eat, drink, poop, and occasionally a dust bath. She does make the ticking noise too when she is walking around and fluffs up and she is very unsocial. I was thinking this would be a "phase" but since it is lasting so long, should I be concerned about her health?
 
DublinGirl said:
I have a brooding hen too! Almost 2 weeks now and she will come out every few days at either dawn or at dusk and she will eat, drink, poop, and occasionally a dust bath. She does make the ticking noise too when she is walking around and fluffs up and she is very unsocial. I was thinking this would be a "phase" but since it is lasting so long, should I be concerned about her health?
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They can stay broody for very long periods of time. Generally the average is about 3 1/2 to 4 weeks. Then they usually give up the broody ghost. There are ways to break them, however she is obviously well into this, so you may as well wait it out. If she is not setting on any real eggs, it helps to get them out yourself when ever you go out to the coop. This helps keep them hydrated and fed better. There is no sense in not eating and drinking enough if they are not on eggs. So drag her out a few times a day so she eats and drinks more. I find his helps to break them of it faster too.

Good luck with your broody and welcome to BYC!
 
Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

X2 if you are not wanting chicks then there is not reason to let her continue to brood. Pull her off the nest frequently. Take all eggs out of the nest. Block off the nests if you have to. Brooding is not healthy for a hen so try and end it as soon as possible if you aren't wanting chicks.

Good luck!
 
Thanks for your advice, I really appreciate it. I didn't realize brooding was harmful, I just figured she would figure it out sooner or later. Now, I actually want some chicks, so a friend of mine is going to give me some fertilized eggs to put under her. We usually have warm weather through October,but Im a little concerned about the little peeps staying warm this winter.
 
Mama is very happy to have chicks. All are doing well. The chicks are starting to fly already and Im wondering when or if I should clip their wing tips. They are 2 weeks old and not yet feathered out.

 

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