Broody hen wont get up off the nest to eat or drink

[Farmgirl1000]

Hello!


I have a broody Australorp who will not even get up off the nest to eat or drink. The coop is right outside my window, so have been watching her . I have been taking her off the nest and putting her outside the coop , in front of food and water . She just lies there in a "broody heap" feathers all ruffled up, Lol .She will eat after a while and then go take a dust bath. Should I take her off daily , or just let her be? She will stay out there for at least 30 minutes.....will the eggs start to cool in that amount of time? I dont want the chicks to die in them.I usually put her back on the nest after about 20 minutes....just to make sure. Should I take her off every day?

She will not get up herself. Its so hot here, im afraid she might get dehydrated .
Anyone else ever had this problem?

Thanks for any advice!!

 

[sourland]

If she were mine, I would remove her from the nest daily so as to assure that she eats and drinks and does not defecate in the nest. 30 minutes away from the nest will cause no problems with viability of your eggs. Good luck for a successful hatch.

 

[joker468]

Hello!


I have a broody Australorp who will not even get up off the nest to eat or drink. The coop is right outside my window, so have been watching her . I have been taking her off the nest and putting her outside the coop , in front of food and water . She just lies there in a "broody heap" feathers all ruffled up, Lol .She will eat after a while and then go take a dust bath. Should I take her off daily , or just let her be? She will stay out there for at least 30 minutes.....will the eggs start to cool in that amount of time? I usually put her back on the nest after about 20 minutes....just to make sure. Should I take her off every day?

She will not get up herself. Its so hot here, im afraid she might get dehydrated .
Anyone else ever had this problem?

Thanks for any advice!!

If she is sitting eggs leave her be, she will get off the nest one time each day to eat, drink, dust and potty. Or you can also put food and water within her reach as she sits on the nest but she most likely won't eat or drink much. Their metabolism and hormones change during the broody cycle. She will stay off the nest longer on warmer days as she knows how long she can be away according to temperatures. They will begin laying eggs again when the hatchlings are old enough to fend for themselves long enough for her to sit and lay an egg. In my case, I had two hens sit together on two separate nest side by side and they swapped nests seemed like daily and they switched eggs from one nest to the other as well. They are now free ranging the keets as a team (I used chickens to hatch guinea eggs). They are doing a great job!

 

[kenzie008]

U should take her off the nest daily her eggs wont start to cool of until an hour

 

[sourland]

Do NOT put feed and water within her reach. This frequently results in hens that will not leave the nest and consequently defecate in the nest. This can result in a failed hatch.

 

[kenzie008]

Do NOT put feed and water within her reach.  This frequently results in hens that will not leave the nest and consequently defecate in the nest.  This can result in a failed hatch.

I have a hen in a brooder box and the food is close to he but she never poops in the nest

 

[sourland]

I have a hen in a brooder box and the food is close to he but she never poops in the nest

Agreed, sometimes it causes no problems, but sometimes it does. Why run the risk?

 

[kenzie008]

Absolutly true

 

[joker468]

Do NOT put feed and water within her reach. This frequently results in hens that will not leave the nest and consequently defecate in the nest. This can result in a failed hatch.

This is good to know. I never gave it any thought but I can see where it could result in problems such as you noted. I would let her come off the nest on her own though as she knows the best time of day to take a break. My girls never left the nest until afternoon when it is warmer time of day. I seen them off the nest for over 2 hours one day when the temp outside was well into the 90's.

 

[Farmgirl1000]

Thanks everyone! This is my first time ever to have a broody! Cant wait!