Broody Hen Thread!

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Arkansas81 said:
Just wondering...? If I isolate my once broody then give her some eggs do you think she will go broody again? I am wanting to see if she will hatch any eggs. She was broody all winter long, just recently she stopped "brooding". So should I have any luck?
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If she was broody for a long time, I'd give a quite a while to regain her weight and health before trying to get her to brood chicks again. Broodiness really compromises their health, especially if it was for a long time like you say.
 
HI,, I was just reading the last several posts... I have a Silkie who I guess is now wanting to sit for the past week or two... she has not come off the nest at all that I can see.. but she must at some point, Right???? so from what I read it seems like some brooders will just sit and sit forever.. will they ever go off to drink and eat?? I do want her to lay on some eggs but I don't want her to get sick.. I did take her off the nest a week or so ago because I was worried about her but she just went right back to the nest.. Is everything seem normal to you all???Kristin
 
Nevada Sun said:
HI,, I was just reading the last several posts... I have a Silkie who I guess is now wanting to sit for the past week or two... she has not come off the nest at all that I can see.. but she must at some point, Right???? so from what I read it seems like some brooders will just sit and sit forever.. will they ever go off to drink and eat?? I do want her to lay on some eggs but I don't want her to get sick.. I did take her off the nest a week or so ago because I was worried about her but she just went right back to the nest.. Is everything seem normal to you all???Kristin
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Yes, all is well. Most broodies will get off the nest once a day and eat, drink, poop, fluff/bathe a bit, and go back to the nest. It's hard to catch them doing this but unless they're really stubborn, they take care of themselves to a bare minimum and all is well. When do you plan on giving her eggs or chicks?

Most broodies whose eggs are removed from them daily will sit for 6-8 weeks and then give up. That's a long time to go without eggs if you're depending on eggs, but otherwise no big deal. I would give her eggs right away if you intend to, she has proven she's determined and you don't want her to be unhealthy by the time her eggs hatch. You could also just order her some chicks to arrive around 3-4 weeks after she began sitting and she'll probably take them if you slip them to her at night in the pitch black.

That's what I'm doing right now. My broody is sitting on 5 wood eggs and I'll pick up chicks for her about 26 days after she began sitting. Those were the only chicks I could find!
 
Eeek well we have at least one baby! Yay!!!
I just went out to collect the other eggs (and have a sneaky look at her) and there was a shell in front of her in the nest.
I pulled it out thinking she'd destroyed another one and noticed some veins on the inside.
Couldn't resist and lifted her up just a little and there is a fluffy butt under her!
I saw 2 of the other eggs and some more egg shell under her so not sure if there might be 2 under there.
Looks like we definitely have a Faverolle though! (The egg had an F on it).
Sooooo excited!

As an aside, when should I look at moving her and babies to the ground? They're in a raised box at the moment (with a lip, so no one should fall out accidentally), but I want to move them somewhere safer.
 
I just checked on my broody and realized she's half naked under her. Those hormones are working their magic and her broody patch is huge! Poor girl
 
kelly77 said:


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Adorable cute! I could stare at them all day
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