Broody Hen Is There Hope?

[Sarah1711]

Can anyone give me a little advise about my poor broody hen. I have 2 hens and a rooster that has not scored any marks for sexual ability! Bless him. The outcome is I have a broody hen sitting on eggs that are not ever going bring forth baby chicks for her. I have ordered some fertile eggs, but they won't get here until the end of next week. The problem is she has been sitting on her own eggs (4) coming up for three weeks now. Not only that but the other hen keeps laying her eggs in the same nesting box. I marked her eggs, just in case Charlie (Rooster) may have become enlightened. So my questions to you experienced person(s) are this. 1. How long should I leave (Martha) on eggs for? 2. Is she likely to carry on sitting on new eggs when they arrive? Would it be better if she was in another housing? 3. How long would it be before she gets broody again if she won't sit on new eggs? Should I simply take her off the eggs and wait for her to get broody again?

Also, is it normal for hens feathers at the base of the tail to fall out and look like cotton wool? Answers would be so very welcome or direction to pages that have them.

 

[sourland]

Expecting her to remain broody for another 3 weeks is a bit of a stretch. She may or may not set all that time. It might be a good idea to have an incubator on hand just in case she breaks.

 

[Sarah1711]

Do you think I should push her off the eggs and let it all start over again when she gets broody? I think the eggs are going off now! I am not sure of a hens broody cycles!

 

[Cebarmlds]

I have a cuckoo marans that was broody for two months and she just broke this morning! I let her sit on fake eggs as long as she insisted on sitting! she was a help keeping eggs from freezing for awhile but I'm happy she stopped the broodines finally. If one of my hens wants to be broody this spring I'll let her have a couple fertile eggs but winter here no way! Pushing her off did no good she had to do it on her own time.

Edited to say I meant cuckoo marans not cocoa -her name is cocoa.