Broody hen... kind of eggcited

[DoxonFarms]

 

[sourland]

Good luck for a successful incubation and hatch.

 

[Willow2253]

Very exciting! If I were you I would check how many eggs are under her and only let her have as many as she can fully cover. I can see a couple sticking out in that picture. Also, if other hens have access to where she’s sitting, you may want to mark her eggs and remove any additions every couple of days.

 

[Chookchicken]

That’s so exiting! Good luck

 

[DoxonFarms]

That was short lived I went to check on her today and found 15 cold eggs... she apparently lost interest.

 

[Chookchicken]

Oh well maybe next time

 

[Willow2253]

That’s too bad. Hopefully your next broody is more committed.

 

[DogAndCat36]

That was short lived I went to check on her today and found 15 cold eggs... she apparently lost interest.

That happened to my hens before they got broody. They would get off of the eggs at night as if expecting that the eggs could just wait for the night. When they became properly mature, 1 year old, they finally decided to get serious and sat on some eggs. Now I have 7 babies from 3 broodies.
She will eventually get the hang of it. If you really want chicks then you can place fake eggs in the nest which can encourage her to sit on eggs without spoiling good eggs. If she sits on them for 2 whole days then on the 3rd day place some real eggs under her and take away the fake eggs. Please be prepared though, I got 4 roosters and 3 hens now. I can only keep one rooster and the rest of the roosters have to be taken away soon.

 

[Willow2253]

That’s why I like to give my broodies a couple of days on fake eggs to make sure they’re committed before giving them real eggs. She may still come back to the nest.