broody hen question.

[ticks]

The eggs are supposed to be a certain humidity and heat and turned a certain amount of times per day. but How does the broody keep the consitant temperature or humidity?

 

[Ellie]

I am new at this but here is what I know from my broodies. I have had two.

They sit (set) on the eggs to keep them warm, only getting off to eat, drink and deposit a huge poop.

They pull their breast feathers out, lining the nest and this warm skin keeps the eggs moist.

They turn the eggs with their beaks, sometimes their whole head goes under them when they do that and it looks weird.

They seem to know when to raise up their bodies a little, or snuggle down given the ambient temperature.

It is a marvelous thing to watch.

Someone more experienced will jump in soon.

Ellie

 

[dacjohns]

I'm pretty much with ellie on this.

I've just gone through two hatches with broodies. They just know how to do it. Instinctual behavior. I've noticed that when the hen lifts up off the eggs they look shiny and polished, not at all like freshly laid eggs.

Only difference is that I didn't have much feather pulling but that is just probably my birds. In the wild some birds line their nests with feathers and some don't.