broody hen behavior---normal or not

[old geezer]

buttercup my wifes buff orp hen has been on the nest 3 days---turning herself , and i guess the eggs also, i don't want to disturb her

1---i can not tell if she is takeing in any water

2-- cannot tell if she has eaten--she may have taken in 1 small piece of a portugeese roll

3-- i don't know if she has poo'd---none in the brood house i built her , and none outside that i can see

is this normal or not---should i be concerned--and when do i get concerned

 

[schellie69]

Quote:
I did have take my broody of the nest once a day to eat drink and poop. You will know when a broody poops

I did this for about a week and then she would do it herself if I did see or smell a poop I would take her down. I kept a food bowl next to her so she could eat and only had to get up to drink and poop. Good luck.

 

[Happy Chooks]

They will sneak food and water when they feel it's safe to. It's a nest protection instinct. If you have a separate feeder/waterer for her, start watching the levels, and I bet you will see it going down.

As for the broody poop, they can save it up for several days. You will DEFINITELY know it when she poops, it is the nastiest, smelly, disgusting stuff on the planet.

 

[ourlittleflock]

I have a black cochin that is sitting at the present - she didn't move for the 1st 3 days at all but has been coming off once a day when no one is around.. I can tell because the big broody poop is always at the water... I "myself" haven't seen her move - I have noticed the eggs are moving under her but she sits in the same direction everyday.

I posted when she started sitting almost 2 weeks ago and was told - leave her alone (not unless you need to removed extra laid eggs she may try to steal) nature has programmed her and she knows what to do...

 

[ourlittleflock]

Quote:
happy chooks is completely right on the poop - it is HUGE and nasty, smelly, disgusting stuff on the planet

 

[sourland]

Frequently if you keep food and water right beside the nest, the hen will not leave. If this is the case, it is only a matter of time until she defecates in the nest. A better management regimen is to keep food and water in their normal place and remove the hen from the nest once daily until you know she is leaving by herself. One indicator that she is leaving the nest is the presence of "broody poop."