Once a day is fine. I have a dedicated broody that goes into the broody Zen state and just doesn't move. Last spring she didn't get off the nest for several days, and when I finally intervened and took her off the nest, she had trouble standing and walking. I insisted and she finally went outside for a while. I had to physically remove her from the nest if she didn't come off the eggs which meant I had to keep an eye on her throughout the whole hatch. Her late summer hatch went more smoothly.
LOL. Tell your Dear Husband I agree with him. I have hatched 100's of hens with close 70 hens in a little over a year. Once ""I"" set them----I Never put feed/water where they can get to it while in the nest. I never force them off the nest. I set them and leave them alone---check their feed and water daily which is several feet from their nest. They ALL hatched me many chicks and None have ever died or went cripple--LOL. I just let them do what is natural for them.
Its according to the breed. Some breeds rarely go broody. I have had RIR for years and never had one to go broody, but I always replace them before they get 2 years old. White leghorns----I have only had those for about 1 1/2 years---no broodies. I have had yellow buff, game, black jersey giants, lavender orpingtons, etc, etc, that went broody soon after they started laying.
Of course you are both right. They are just little dinosaurs anyway. I try to be hands off, but it doesn't work. They are my pets in addition to being chickens.
Copper and Graycie (my broody pair) went broody at about a year old. Copper is an BO/Marans cross and Graycie is a blue copper marans. My hatchery BO first went broody when she was 2 years old, and she hasn't done it again (some of us just aren't cut out for multiples).
