broody 3rd time

[thebanthams]

My hen decided to be a mother. first two times failed, because either she broke the eggs or the other hens have been breaking them. I put up a fence and hope she will hatch around July 4th !! Its getting warmer and I put water and food in her pen, Can they survie without water and food that long?

 

[sourland]

Well, nothing can survive without food and water, but if you have both in the pen where she has access to them she should do fine. Keeping the other hens away from her is a necessity if you want a high percentage hatch.

 

[thebanthams]

I meant to say JUNE 4th Not July 4th !! My mind was thinking wrong !! So far she is doing well, she has been coming out every two days to take a break ! even though theres water and food for her in her box. but she choses to come out to stretch !! So far she has been doing good without breaking any eggs! , Theres 8 eggs , I will guess 5 chickies will hatch (not her eggs)

 

[haemony]

I also have a broody with a hatch due on June 4th.

She is isolated in a small house of her own in a fenced of part of the run because the other hens were breaking her eggs and chasing her off her nest. She has food and water but there was no evidence she was drinking or eating so I have been hand feeding her and holding the waterer up to her so she can drink. Crazy I know but it works. I also push her off the nest at leat once a day to get a little exercise and have a poo. I open the fence and guard her nest for her while she runs around for about 15 minutes takes a dust bath, eats some grass and comes right back and sits. Then I close up the fence. I am giving her extra protein like a handful of scrambled egg or some live mealworm once a day and sometimes a little yogurt on a spoon. This will keep her healthy while she is sitting.

Hopefully my neighbor won't run his chipper shredder in the woods until after June 4th or it will all have been for nothing. I'm afraid she will be frightened off her nest and not come back.