Broody hen?

[Harleyx2]

We have a hen that acts kids broody but not sure. She is trying to act like she is sitting but she has no eggs because we take them from all the hens daily. Last night I tried to make her move and she nipped my finger a little. Today she will let us pick her up and remove her from her sitting position and live on her. Looks like she has pulled a bunch of feathers from her stomach. She acts like she is sick and is not mean at all now. She justs wants to sit. What say you?

 

[azygous]

Yep. Broody. It matters not at all if she has no eggs under her.

 

[Joshua G]

Yep. Broody. It matters not at all if she has no eggs under her.

X2

 

[Harleyx2]

Found her dead this morning.

 

[azygous]

How long had she been wanting to sit on the nest? If this has been going on for a number of weeks, even longer than a month, she may have starved herself. This is rare, but it does happen if a broody doesn't come out of her trance occasionally to eat and drink.

I'm so sorry this has happened.

 

[along121]

I have 6 hens. They have all had at least 1 event of brooding. Last week my biggest and strongest hen started to brood again. I got six fertile eggs from a friend but my hen must have not liked them. She pecked 2 of them and went out in the yard. Wouldn't go near them. I cleaned up the nest box and took away all the eggs. The next day she laid one egg and started her broody behavior again. My friend brought over 4 eggs this time. I put x,s on them with a pencil. For about 15 minutes she would not sit on them. Now she is on them 24/7. I read about the hen that starved herself to death.on this thread Another friend told me they know when to get off and eat and drink. She is alert and squawks when I check on her. I can i be sure she will eat and drink? Does all of this make sense?

 

[Fancychooklady]

I like to separate my broody and make sure there is food and water nearby.

 

[Harleyx2]

Only about 2 days

 

[Joshua G]

Very sorry about your hen.

 

[Harleyx2]

Thanks guys.