Broody Hen?

[flanman]

Hi all! I've had chickens for about a year now, but have never had a broody hen until now! My 2 millifleur pekins have both plucked feathers out from under them and sit on the eggs they have layed, an make clucky sounds if you get too close! However they usually are off the eggs by the next day or every few hours, and remain off for a while and then sometimes go back on? Are they actually broody??

 

[Judy]

When they stay on the eggs all night and never roost, they're probably fully broody. Yours sound like they're in transition -- maybe trying to collect a "clutch" of eggs before they start actually setting. Since it's a hormonal change, it makes sense it might not happen suddenly.

If you want them to hatch chicks, I'd suggest collecting the eggs and storing at room temp for a few days, then mark them with a Sharpie and put them under the broody all at once. That way you won't get a staggered hatch.

Broodies should get off the nest once a day to take care of business, or so I've read. I actually think some get up more often than this. I've seen one stay off for half an hour, foraging, dust bathing, etc., then return And the chicks did just fine.

 

[flanman]

Thanks for this! Mines get up quite often, its quite pecuiler!!

 

[LindaCT]

I had two broody hens literally take turns with a clutch of eggs. Once the first egg hatched, I declared the one who was sitting at the time the "winner" and moved her into the brooding box.

 

[flanman]

now neither chicken is sitting on the eggs lol and one is still laying eggs. do hens lay when their broody??

 

[LindaCT]

They don't usually lay eggs when broody. Their energy all goes to sitting without having to eat or drink much.

 

[sasnak45]

I have a hen who isn't eating too much, she was never attacked by the roosters, but now they pursue her mercilessly - all 3 of them. She paces a lot, and wants to sit on the nest, but no eggs. Could she just broody:?

 

[twobluecrows]

I have a buff orpington hen who has gone broody, and I think she's sitting on unfertile eggs. This is the very first time we've ever had a hen do this. Our little rooster hasn't ever fertilized anything, though he's great as a guard and food-finder for our free-range flock of 6. Will she eventually give up? My husband removed all the eggs once when she was off them, but the other hens filled the nest box up pretty quickly. One of the other hens was also taking turn with her, much to her dismay! She would sit very nearby either on the roost or in the shavings until the other one left. Unfortunately, the other hen has disappeared. I have a faint hope that she has found someplace else to sit on eggs( since the buff orp is sitting in the box, the other hens keep making nests in the bushes, the hostas and the hay), but another one disappeared two days ago, so it's also possible we have a new fox or hawk in the neighborhood.

Will a hen sit on unfertile eggs? When will she stop? Should we get her some chicks? Or fertile eggs?

 

[kichohana]

I have a Speckled Sussex names Stella that had been broody for about 3 weeks. It's been so hot not one of my three girls have laid an egg, so she's not been sitting on anything. She gets up 2x a day to eat, drink and poop - then back to her (empty) nest box. I felt bad for her and what to do? I've broken her broody-ness before, but this time I came up with another idea from some fellow BYC-ers. You guys are brilliant by the way...

On Saturday I drove to a nearby NPIP chicken "farm" and got some day-old chicks. They're Rhode Island Red - because that's what he had at the day-old stage. I picked up three of the cuties and brought them home, set them up an a brooder box and waited until nightfall.

At about 10:00pm, when my hens were quietly sleeping, and Ms. Broody Stella was sleeping peacefully in her nextbox, I slipped the three RIR chicks in with her. Next I said a prayer and waited for morning. They would either be accepted, rejected (in which case they go back in the brooder box), or pecked to death.

Well yesterday morning, I went out to check on them bright and early. I was thrilled to see the babies snuggling around their new "mama". Ms. Stella was clucking and cooing to her new babies and seems quite pleased with her new family.

The kids spent the day playing, eating and drinking under the watchful eye of their adoptive mama. Last night just before sunset, they were all snuggled under her sleeping in the nestbox with her. This morning, again, playing and running around under mama's watchful eye.

I'm glad this trick worked for me. I'm not saying it will work for everyone. I went the day old chick route because I wanted pullets/hens - and you don't necessarily know what you get from hatching eggs.

I just hope my two other hens don't try this "go broody" trick just to get their own babies. I don't have room for any more chickens!