Broody Hen Thread!

[TiaRC]

Good information ! She sat on it for a few hours but then got up to eat , drink ect.. The egg was pretty warm when I felt it and she had moved it under her body. Since it is warmer here in California. Should be 88-90 does that mean she will be on and off her egg? I don't know how to candle light ? We have 10 other hens so I'll need to move her? Thank you so much ! Like I said wasn't expecting this soon.

She shouldn't be off the egg for hours at a time. Mine usually do a 30 min break off and back on all day til tom. So she may not be completely broody yet. Candling is easy just use a empty toilet paper roll and a HID or some high powered flashlight. Flash the light through the roll with the egg on top of it. Then you'll see blood vessels and possibly chick movement. Ok if she is nesting with these other hens then yes I would move her. At night move her to a dog crate or another secure area. With all her essentials food, water, nesting matieral, and of course her egg or eggs.

 

[SD Bird Lady]

She may not be completely broody yet. She may just be building a clutch. Leave her eggs and of she wants to set she will.

 

[Angie16hearts]

She may not be completely broody yet. She may just be building a clutch. Leave her eggs and of she wants to set she will.

Ok, I'll watch her close tonight. Wish it was still the weekend thank you

 

[Angie16hearts]

Update, so I got home from work. Pepper was out of her nest free ranging and is not hanging out with her friends I looked at the laying boxes. She has made a beautiful perfectly round shaped nest with her feathers in it. She has the egg she layed today and moved a golf ball from a diffrent nest next to her egg. What are anyone's thoughts? Is she thinking about going broody maybe? Does she need a certain amount of eggs in her mind to sit all day? Any answers would be greatly appreciated ! I can't get over how pretty she made the nest overnight. With her feathers Almost perfectly evenly placed in it. . Thanks again. She does have a bit of old game in her. She's a mix we ended up thinking after everyone's knowledge old game, welsummer, brown leghorn. Just FYI if it helps

 

[sonderah]

Update, so I got home from work. Pepper was out of her nest free ranging and is not hanging out with her friends I looked at the laying boxes. She has made a beautiful perfectly round shaped nest with her feathers in it. She has the egg she layed today and moved a golf ball from a diffrent nest next to her egg. What are anyone's thoughts? Is she thinking about going broody maybe? Does she need a certain amount of eggs in her mind to sit all day? Any answers would be greatly appreciated ! I can't get over how pretty she made the nest overnight. With her feathers Almost perfectly evenly placed in it. . Thanks again. She does have a bit of old game in her. She's a mix we ended up thinking after everyone's knowledge old game, welsummer, brown leghorn. Just FYI if it helps

I'd say she is going broody, she is just still building her clutch. Her hormones are not in full force yet. Once she has enough eggs there that feel "just right", she will start staying in the box almost constant and be in a trance, making that adorable light little "cluck cluck" sound everytime u go near, or "growling" at you one. Lol. Do u have any other fertile eggs? U can stick those in there too, she won't care at all.

 

[Angie16hearts]

I'd say she is going broody, she is just still building her clutch. Her hormones are not in full force yet. Once she has enough eggs there that feel "just right", she will start staying in the box almost constant and be in a trance, making that adorable light little "cluck cluck" sound everytime u go near, or "growling" at you one. Lol. Do u have any other fertile eggs? U can stick those in there too, she won't care at all.

So are the eggs safe if she's not sitting on them all day just when she pleases I marked egg just in case and she was in box this morning. She seemed to be going up and down stairs. Confused? I hope she does !

no, I wish I had some I would love to put some under her . That is if she goes broody. I'm curious to see if she moves the other golf ball too.

 

[TiaRC]

So are the eggs safe if she's not sitting on them all day just when she pleases I marked egg just in case and she was in box this morning. She seemed to be going up and down stairs. Confused? I hope she does !

no, I wish I had some I would love to put some under her . That is if she goes broody. I'm curious to see if she moves the other golf ball too.

Yes eggs will be ok

 

[fintuckyfarms]

I give up! My broody wins.... Does anybody is SE WA state have day or two old chicks?

 

[emmimini1212]

URGENT HELP!!! I had a broody hen sit on 6 pekin duck eggs because I wanted to continue getting eggs from my one female duck. Soon after the first one started hatching I realized that 2 of the eggs were infertile so I had to get rid of them, no big deal. 2 others hatched yesterday do I had 3 ducklings and was waiting for the fourth to externally pip. Everything was going great until last night a skunk got into our coop and stole 2 of my ducklings!!! When I went down to the coop this morning I saw that not only were two of my babies missing but momma had gotten off the nest! I thought that she was just traumatized so she got up for a minute. I went back down around 5 to see that she was STILL OFF. I picked up the egg to see if it was dead and it is not! It's internally pipping and coming along very well... My question is what to do with it?? My first instinct was to pick it up and take it to the house and put it under a heat lamp. I don't have an incubator so what do I do??? I took up the live duckling too as a companion because I was scared the skunk would come back for this one if I didn't. Someone PLEASE HELP ME!! I CANT LET THIS BABY DIE TOO

 

[SD Bird Lady]

We had success with a heath lamp and a wet flour sack cloth over top so he doesn't dry out.

eta: mine were externally pipped chicken eggs. Figured"at least I tried" and it worked