Broody break cont.

[BlindLemonChicken]

I have been taking my hen off the nest every few days for poopies and a dust bathing. She has food and water in the coop. I have been leaving the pop door open for her but keeping her separated from the flock because my boss chicken was murdering her eggs (well...the dummy eggs but I'm not taking chances). Anyway. I know that when you incubate eggs they need to go into lockdown a few days before hatch day. Does this apply to broody hens too? Do I need to stop taking her off the nest? Hatch day should be this Saturday. I want to just trust her but she's only a year old and this is her first hatch

 

[All4Eggz]

She should be getting off once every day, or once every other day at most. Leaving food and water only a few steps away restricts her exercise which is often necessary for the hen to remain healthy. She will also lose the urge to go dust bathing if she doesn’t leave the coop, which is also important for keeping your hen healthy. Take the food and water out of the coop so she has to actually leave the coop to drink and eat, exercise, and dust bathe.

Broody hens are better than incubators. They know what to do when lockdown rolls around. You have nothing to worry about. Leave it in her hands claws.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

She should be getting off once every day, or once every other day at most. Leaving food and water only a few steps away restricts her exercise which is often necessary for the hen to remain healthy. She will also lose the urge to go dust bathing if she doesn’t leave the coop, which is also important for keeping your hen healthy. Take the food and water out of the coop so she has to actually leave the coop to drink and eat, exercise, and dust bathe.

Broody hens are better than incubators. They know what to do when lockdown rolls around. You have nothing to worry about. Leave it in her hands claws.

I had the food and water down at first but she wasn't leaving at all so I freaked out and put it up with her. Is it too late to take it out?

 

[All4Eggz]

I had the food and water down at first but she wasn't leaving at all so I freaked out and put it up with her. Is it too late to take it out?

You can take it out then remove her from the nest tomorrow midday to show her where it is.

Sometimes my broodies are so stubborn that I have to forcibly take them off the nest so they can exercise, poop, eat, drink, dust bathe, etc. Not pooping for days in a row could make them sick.

Good luck.
Looking forward to the chicks hatching.

 

[junior67]

Mine got off the nest even after an egg had pipped. Not sure if that is right or wrong since my girls were a bit over a year and their first time. But the eggs were fine so figure they knew what to do?