Broody chickens!

[ChickenJill]

I have 4 broody chickens and I thought the eggs the were sitting on were not fertile, since I only had one young rooster. Well I candled the eggs and most are fertile! however I think they should have hatched 4 days ago! I think some chickens kept adding eggs to the piles but the first eggs should have hatched 4 days ago. How long do I wait? What can I do to check if they will hatch. This one poor chicken has been sitting about 2 months altogether. (the first month was on non fertile eggs that I removed). How long can she sit there? AND What do I do if one does hatch? Do I isolate the chicks from the other chickens? I have no idea what I am doing.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Wow, 2 months, she is a persistent broody. It might be time to think about breaking her brooding. I just read about someone who broke her broody by taking her eggs and putting her in a wire based pen to cool her off. Broody hens apparently have a rise in body temp.

Sorry, this may not be what you wanted to hear but she will likely go broody again and next time you could try putting the date on the eggs with a pencil when you see new ones added. I guess you can add her eggs to the other broody's clutch. Maybe some one will respond who knows more about candling.

If some do hatch you could raise them your self or you could let the hen raise them by putting them in another pen or at least sectioning off the coop so they are not bothered by the other chickens.

 

[Joey Currin]

My local co-op told me to fill a bucket with cold water and dip her backside in it to cool her off. It worked immediately. We kept her inside til she dried to prevent her from getting sick since the weather here in Idaho in the fall is cold.