Broody Hen question

[NikkiCole5]

My hen has been "collecting" eggs for over a week and I've only left 9 outside for her, but she hasn't sat on them yet. I was wondering how long after her collection will she start to lay on them?

 

[aart]

Hens don't collect eggs...chicken keepers collect eggs, and just because you don't collect them every day and leave them in the nest doesn't mean a hen is going to sit on them and hatch them.

A hen will go broody when her hormones dictate that she should then she will stay on the nest day and night (whether it has eggs in it or not) go into sort of a trance, and if disturbed will growl, hiss, bite, grumble.

If they stay that way for 3 days and nights then you can give them some fresh fertile eggs to hatch out.

Read thru this thread to learn all you could ever want to know about broody hens:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-thread

 

[NikkiCole5]

I mean she is building a nest with the pine shavings, she is turning the eggs and moving them around but not sitting on them yet. That's what I was meaning when i said collecting them. Normally she eats them that's why I think she is wanting to go broody

 

[aart]

Oh.... maybe she is 'gathering' a clutch.

 

[NikkiCole5]

Yes thank you, but I was wondering how long she will take to decide to sit on them because the eggs have been out there for a week now, I feel like they are going to become bad or I don't know the word. I'm only leaving the 9 out there, the rest I'm collecting

 

[JadedPhoenix]

I mean she is building a nest with the pine shavings, she is turning the eggs and moving them around but not sitting on them yet. That's what I was meaning when i said collecting them. Normally she eats them that's why I think she is wanting to go broody

Mine will do this when they lay all of the time. I think it is more of something to do while she is waiting to drop her daily egg, not a sure fire sign that she is building a nest to go broody. Just keep taking the eggs until she has refused to leave the nest for a few days. Otherwise, you'll have perfectly good eggs to go to waste.

FYI: A broody doesn't NEED eggs in the nest for her hormones to signal that it is time. When they are truly broody, they'll sit on an empty nest just as well as a full one.

 

[NikkiCole5]

My hens don't do the whole sit on an empty nest thing. I have had one chick hatch from my hen sitting on the egg, but she did not do it until the eggs were there for her

 

[JadedPhoenix]

Keep fake eggs in the nest until your hen goes full on broody. Don't keep real ones out there until you are sure.

 

[NikkiCole5]

Keep fake eggs in the nest until your hen goes full on broody.  Don't keep real ones out there until you are sure.

Thanks!

 

[JadedPhoenix]

NP.