Broody hen gone soft?

[VeryHappyHens]

As long as she seems to be committed when she's forced to sit, thats a good sign.
Though I have had quite the fiasco with a bad broody duck. Long story short, I knew nothing about broody ducks at the time, (this situation is actually what made me join) and let 4 ducks share a nest. They fought over the eggs, and broke a lot of eggs that had fully formed ducklings in them. I would find kicked out broken eggs, with full babies in them.
They messed up the humidity because of fighting, and kept retrying for more babies every time the babies didn't hatch.
Like I said, I knew nothing about broody ducks so I can't believe I let them sit that long, but, I did, eventually I joined, and I made them quit brooding. My Mallard who had originally started the nest decided to sit again, I made her a separate area by putting a baby gate around her nesting site. She hatched 3 beautiful babies.

I would prepare for her to quit, or not be committed enough to be able to keep the eggs at proper humidity/temperature during lockdown.
I would build, or buy an incubator, and try to candle at least a few of the eggs before day 18, but all of them if possible so you can toss bad ones. Just be prepared to intervene if you have to.

I wouldnt let breed determine anything. Google said runner ducks never go broody but guess what. Both my runner duck went broody at the same time a she is a fierce mom she bites me and makes my hand bleed if I even go near her eggs and both the girls attack me. Ive even seen many leghorns go broody and raise chicks. My new hampshire red hen frappcino hatched out eggs and stayed with her babies for 11 weeks and there also not known for broodniess.

 

[Weeg]

I wouldnt let breed determine anything. Google said runner ducks never go broody but guess what. Both my runner duck went broody at the same time a she is a fierce mom she bites me and makes my hand bleed if I even go near her eggs and both the girls attack me. Ive even seen many leghorns go broody and raise chicks. My new hampshire red hen frappcino hatched out eggs and stayed with her babies for 11 weeks and there also not known for broodniess.

Breed does matter. If its a breed that has been bred and bred and bred for a specific purpose, and the instance to brood starts to disappear.

 

[VeryHappyHens]

Breed does matter. If its a breed that has been bred and bred and bred for a specific purpose, and the instance to brood starts to disappear.

Not really my runner ducks went broody. I know alot people that had white leghorns go broody to. Breed does not deify a chicken its the chicken itself and broodiness is very random none can physically breed broodniess out they can make it less wanting for the chickens but can not physically breed it out even tho some breed do not have any tedisy to go broody at all other breeds in that catgory do. Ive even had a lakevlender hen go broody and google said they never go broody but guess what she did and raised little chicks.

 

[Weeg]

Not really my runner ducks went broody. I know alot people that had white leghorns go broody to. Breed does not deify a chicken its the chicken itself and broodiness is very random none can physically breed broodniess out they can make it less wanting for the chickens but can not physically breed it out even tho some breed do not have any tedisy to go broody at all other breeds in that catgory do. Ive even had a lakevlender hen go broody and google said they never go broody but guess what she did and raised little chicks.

Your right, it doesn't necessarily mean they will never go broody, or not be a good mother, it just means that that specific breed is more likely to not be a good mother or go broody.

 

[balkbalkbalkheather]

I agree there is always an exception to the rule. I guess we never truly know until it happens. Thank you everyone for your comments.