Broody hen barely eating/drinking

[chickengoesmeow]

I have a first time broody girl right now about 10 days along with 6 eggs. So far she is a very determined mother and she even clucks to her eggs, it's all very cute. Sadly, my other hens are less understanding and 5 days ago she lost an egg to another hen trying to get into her nesting box. I built a little door to the nesting box she is in so the others can't get in, but she also can't get out. I put a dish of water (changed twice daily, for 12 hours its hydro-hen 3 in 1 and for the other 12 hours its just plain water) and a little cup of food (purina flock raiser) in there for her but she barely touches it. When I change her water, she has maybe drinken a teaspoon and she only eats a tiny bit of her feed, and she just picks out any treats or scratch I mix in for her. I throw her out into my garden once a day for 15 minutes to force her to dust bath and stretch her legs, and even then she doesn't eat or drink much besides the worms she digs up. Is this normal? She is a frost white legbar (white cream legbar) so she isn't a big bird to begin with. This is her first time being broody so maybe she just doesn't understand she needs to eat?

 

[Mrs. K]

Perfectly normal. They do loose eggs - it is very common. Sometimes an egg fails to develop, or a shell gets cracked. One has to accept that the old saying,"don't count your eggs until they hatch..." is based on the fact that not all the eggs you set, will hatch.

I would really hesitate to lock a bird in there. But I know a lot of people do. And I would not put feed or water there with her. You do not want her eating and drinking from the nest. She needs to get off the nest to take care of her needs. She will poop in the nest and that will make a huge mess. If you are removing her from the nest once a day, that is good. She will take care of her needs then. If she does start pooping in the nest, you need to open it up.

Animals would have been extinct, if brooding killed them. No animals will starve themselves to death if food is available and they are not already dying. Broodies store up a great deal of fat, and really use that to support them through the 21 days.

So say to yourself, she knows more about this than either you or I do, and more than likely not all will make it. Take what does and be happy. Let her do her own thing as much as possible.

Mrs K

 

[NatJ]

I throw her out into my garden once a day for 15 minutes to force her to dust bath and stretch her legs, and even then she doesn't eat or drink much besides the worms she digs up.

I would probably offer a dish of mash at that time (the usual flock raiser food, plus water), which has been popular with some broodies I had. Of course have the dry food and the water available too.

And I would not put feed or water there with her. You do not want her eating and drinking from the nest. She needs to get off the nest to take care of her needs. She will poop in the nest and that will make a huge mess. If you are removing her from the nest once a day, that is good. She will take care of her needs then. If she does start pooping in the nest, you need to open it up.

Looking at the photo, I would probably leave the food and water in this case. The space is large enough that the hen will have to get off the eggs to eat and drink, so any pooping will probably not be right on top of the eggs.

I would definitely continue to put her out each day, which increases the chance of her pooping out there instead of in the nest.

 

[FC16]

I agree, if you’re able to. Removing her just once each day for her to get some fresh air, food, water and do her business is a lot better for the hen.
I’ve found that the more experienced /older hens will mostly take themsleves out once a day but a lot of the time the first-time broodies don’t know to do so.

 

[drdoct]

Trust me.... the less she eats... the better. You'll already have plenty of broody poop. Ours was so determined to sit that she pooped right off the nest. If you haven't experienced broody poop yet... get ready.

 

[chickengoesmeow]

Update

I had been letting her off the nest everyday and its day 18/19 now. She's been doing good even though she isn't eating or drinking much. Yesterday, when I took her off, she followed me back into the coop and attacked me until she got back into her nest. Before, she would dig around for 15 minutes and then follow me back into the coop and attack me. She refused to spend any time outside yesterday. Do broody hens stop getting off the nest as much as it gets closer to hatching? Non of the eggs have pipped since I last checked last night. Should I still be forcing her off? Ive moved her to a brooder that's around 2'x4', and it has food and water. There is room for her to fully get off and do her buisness but I still want her to spend some time outside.

 

[aart]

Do broody hens stop getting off the nest as much as it gets closer to hatching?

Yes.

Should I still be forcing her off?

No, leave her be.

 

[drdoct]

Trust me.... she knows what she needs a lot better than you do. Leave her alone and she'll be happy. Their body changes when they go broody. They don't need near what you think a normal chicken does. In fact, the more you mess with her, the worse off she is. Don't stress her.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Please send us pictures of her hatchlings, when she lets you. It sounds like you may have baby chicks at the end of the week.

 

[NatJ]

its day 18/19 now....Should I still be forcing her off? Ive moved her to a brooder that's around 2'x4', and it has food and water. There is room for her to fully get off and do her buisness but I still want her to spend some time outside.

I would let her be.

She has what she needs in that space (food, water, a little bit of space to move around).

This close to hatching, she may get off the nest on a different schedule than she was before, so just let her decide the details. It shouldn't hurt her to have a few days with no time outside, and she can make up for that in a week or two when the chicks go outside with her.