Broody hen, I don't think she is drinking

[dehave]

She is on day 7 with duck eggs but I just slipped some chicken eggs under her tonight. The first couple of days I saw her up and about, but I haven't seen her off the nest in the last 5 days. I give her a couple handfuls of scratch for a treat but now I am thinking she will need some real nutrition. She will not drink if I hold a dish up for her, so yesterday I gave her some watermellon. She didn't eat it in front of me, but when I came back she had finished it. I am so nervous she will quit the nest if I take her off to eat, drink and poop as other people on the board seem to do. But I don't want her to suffer for it. What to do?

 

[Standard Hen]

I have my first broody too and have had the same thought as you. She is in her own little dog coop with food and water. I have only seen her off the nest once and that was when I was able to see how many eggs she was sitting on. Otherwise everytime I look in to check she is just sitting and looking broody! Reading all the responses on here to similar questions I have decided to leave her alone and let her do her thing the natural way with no human intervention. I am dying to candle an egg but am so looking forward to having my first homebred chicks that I do not want to disturb her. I have never candles but there is enough information on this great site that I think I could do it. 21 days from when I noticed her sitting will be the 17th and I do not want to blow it now! Good Luck,,,they know what they are doing.

 

[yellowdragon]

It should be fine. A broody won't get off the nest but maybe once a day. I have only seen mine off the nest a couple times. They won't strave or thirst to death. They only get what they need.