broody hen acting funny?

[howlingrose46]

I have a silkie hen that's gone broody. I am still new at this chicken stuff and learning all the time. My question is will she be alright of I just leave her alone? She is sitting in one of her own eggs and I gave her a small seabright too. I was taking her out once a day and putting her in the pen to eat drink and poop. She was eating and drinking like she was starving while in the pen. Then goes back to her eggs. Worried she will not eat and drink if I leave her be. I did put some food in the house close to her and there is water in the house. She is not pooping in the box and I fave not moved her for two days. Any advice and info would be so appreciated I don't want her to get sick or starve

 

[Cluky]

my broody has this ritual every morning. Runs out, eats, drinks, rolls/takes a back...runs around then sits back. I thought something was wrong but no, it was just her way of stretching out for the day.

 

[howlingrose46]

Have not seen her leave the box at all

 

[donrae]

You usually won't see her leave the box. They're only off for 15-20 min a day, if that. Mine are like Clucky-- drink like crazy, eat like starving, huge poop, quick dust bath, plus mine likes to quickly terrorize the other hens, then back to the nest.

This is how birds are designed to reproduce. It wouldn't work very well if the hens starved themselves. I leave mine alone and they're just fine.

 

[howlingrose46]

Thanks I was leaning toward letting nature just take its course. I just wish I could catch her out one time. Lol

 

[ChickenLegs13]

Most likely having the feed & water inside the coop is making her lazy & poop in the nest. My boody hens fly down out of the nest and eat with the other birds at feeding time, soon as she hits the ground she makes a HUGE poop, then go free range with the other birds for 20-30 minutes then go back to sitting till the same time next day.

 

[chichek]

Since i started this thread, the chicks hatched soo yaay! trust me lol.. she'll be fine, if she's not pooing in the nesting area chances are she's probably going out every now and then, i was worried too because our hen lost weight, but thank god she's okay, i was doing what people recomended putting her out once and letting her do her own thing (i.e. eat, drink and then go back to her eggs) infact one day we even fouind her outside struggling to go back into the hen house thought the eggs went toocold because we didnt know how long she had been stuck outside but luckily! they hatched and now we have 5 little babies snuggling under her as we speak, trust me she'll be fine, check up on her now and then and if you feel like she doesnt leave the house take her out and let her do her own thing (although i timed 10minutes and made sure she went back in)

 

[howlingrose46]

Ok thanks think I will go with my instincts and take her out a couple times a week and agree food and water on the house give her no reason to get up and move around so that's coming out of there. She seems fine and very content. Putting her in the pen is probably more for me then her. Lol