Broody Hen Questions

[butterflygrooves]

Quick backstory... I think we may have a roo pretending to be a hen, four eggs last week looked fertilized. 2 out of my 5 girls are laying.

Onto the questions...

My RIR has gone broody one week after laying her first egg. She and one of my BO's share the same nest box, and she is currently sitting on their 9 eggs. I want to let her sit on them to see what happens. What will happen if none of the eggs are fertilized? If there isn't a roo, and hence no need to sit on the eggs, how do I break the broodiness? She comes out of the coop in the morning to eat and get water and occasionally throughout the day but I regularly find her in the nest on her eggs.

Also, I noticed this morning that she is pulling feathers from 2 of my other hens. How do I stop this behavior?

 

[Soaring Chicks]

if no roo they will rot and smell really bad I would take the eggs from her that will brake her from being broody. If you let her sit and there is not roo and the eggs start to smell the other chickens might start pecking at them and start them pecking eggs too. The hens will sit for 21 days and they go with out eating for most of the day and some loose wieght while broody. there are no con then pros if they will not hatch. whatever you do make sure she gets food and water if you let her sit. good luck.