broody hen not eating or drinking - is this OK?

[elmo]

Broody poop reminds me of my days shoveling horse manure. It's amazing something so small can smell so bad!

We have very tiny bantams, and because they are so small to begin with I worry about them losing too much weight. So I've been making sure each hen gets off the nest once a day and eats something, and gets some water.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Quote:
Thanks everyone! I did as suggested here. I took her off the nest and put her in the coop next to the feeder. She seemed a bit weak on her legs at first but did start pecking at the food. Then suddenly she started cackling as if she was about to lay an egg, and you're right, within about 5 minutes of being off the nest, the explosion happened, and whew!!!! STINK!

I've scrambled some egg for her and will give her a few more minutes of freedom.

It's great being able to get advice within minutes!!

Glad that worked out okay!

She sounds like she is a determined broody so you will probably have to baby and cater to her throughout the duration of the hatch. Be sure she is drinking, as well as eating, because she will get dehydrated quickly.

Lots of luck to you!

 

[debilorrah]

When my turken goes broody, there is no choice but to put food and water right under her nose. I move her, she runs back. We could play that game all day long. I wound up having to clean behind her daily. UGH!

 

[The Chicken mama]

I have a hen sitting on eggs since April 14th so just over two weeks. I moved her from the nest to an enclosed area in the coop (a large dog kennel) on the 27th as she had gone off the nest a few times and another hen went into her nest. I put a small box in the kennel with shavings for her, and a container of food and water and there is still a bit of room for her to get up and move around. I don't see any evidence that she's eating and she's maybe touched the water a little, but not much as it's still pretty clean after 3 or 4 days. No sign of poops anywhere. She makes clucking sounds and seems content to sit there. Is this not eating or drinking a concern? I just hope she's not depressed because I moved her. She's still in the coop with the other chickens around her. Am I doing OK?

 

[The Chicken mama]

Hi, I am new to this and expecting chicks to hatch on Sunday. I was able to move 2 of by broody mamas because each day when they got off their nest, immediately another hen would jump in and steal their eggs and they would go climb into another nest. Now after moving to a new separate pen and nestbox, along side the old pen, with a sand bottom for easy poopy pick-up, they can see and hear their friends with out worries. Now they wait for me to hand feed them and lift them out of their nests to run, stretch, peck for food, potty and dust bath once or twice a day. Then they scream and start a hen house cluck fest and flutter their wings, fly around and then stand up on their tippy toes staring back at their eggs as if to say, hurry up and put me back. One of them will eat but rarely drink from the bowls in their nest boxes, the other one refused to drink until... I put just a little water in a small bowl just barely covering their lay crumble and sprinkle oats or scratch on top. Then it was like bobbing for apples, or I mean oatmeal, and they will drink water with every peck! If they stop too soon and give me a far off glazed over look, I just gently shake it in front of them and they resume eating and drinking. Even when they are through I can later take the moistened food when it is soaked with water and they love the wet mash straight out of my hand, again they have their water sopped up in soft food ready for easy digestion. I think they may avoid water so as not to have to potty as often. I often move their eggs to the side so they wont accidentally step on them upon return. It is fun to watch them tuck them back safely underneath their wings and do the side to side shuffle as they nestle back down for the night.

 

[I-Love-Pallets]

Old post, but I’m really glad it was out there. I was really starting to worry after 6 days of my hen staying on the nest and eating a total of about a tablespoon of feed and a few bites of cornbread, my chickens’ favorite treat. I followed the advice, scrambled eggs, took her off the nest in my brooding coop, and put her in the attached 4x4 run. She ate and drank and a few minutes later, voila! Poop! Thanks, everyone!

 

[CrystalAnon]

Old post, but I’m really glad it was out there. I was really starting to worry after 6 days of my hen staying on the nest and eating a total of about a tablespoon of feed and a few bites of cornbread, my chickens’ favorite treat. I followed the advice, scrambled eggs, took her off the nest in my brooding coop, and put her in the attached 4x4 run. She ate and drank and a few minutes later, voila! Poop! Thanks, everyone!

I agree! This is my first broody hen where I’m actually allowing her to hatch. I took her off the nest. She just sat there for a while, then I put some hulled hemp hearts (my chickens favorite treat) and she ate them out of my hand. She stood up, then ran out of the coop. Took a quick dust bath, took a giant poop, then foraged some weeds for a while.
My question is… her flock sister (the only hen that is her same breed) attacked her! I assume because she was acting strangely?! Is that normal? The reason it’s upsetting to me is because I want her to be a good & fierce mamma hen to protect her chicks once they hatch. What do you all think?