Broody hen's first ever clutch, advice please!

[Tricoglossus]

My Polish x, Harriet, has been going broody over and over again over the last few months. So I have given in and allowed her to have 6 eggs to incubate. Now in the past I have tried to break her broody habits, as she would sit on nothing and not leave the nest at all. Not wanting her to starve/thirst to death I would take her out as often as possible - or put her in a broody cage. Now that she has eggs, I am taking her out in the morning to make sure she eats and drinks. My main question is: For how long can she leave the eggs whilst she tends to her own needs? Thanks.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Most hens stay off for 10-15 minutes, but I've had some stay off for hours with no I'll effect to their eggs. Good luck

 

[Tricoglossus]

Thank you, I hope Harriet has some success with her broodiness. I will leave her to it then!

 

[gimmie birdies]

you don't see it happen but she will get off nest and get back on. I would mark the eggs she is sitting on and remove the others. she may get off nest and get confused where she left her eggs because now another hen is sitting on them, I usually check a couple times a day while they sit incase this happens and put her on the correct nest.

 

[Tricoglossus]

you don't see it happen but she will get off nest and get back on. I would mark the eggs she is sitting on and remove the others. she may get off nest and get confused where she left her eggs because now another hen is sitting on them, I usually check a couple times a day while they sit incase this happens and put her on the correct nest.

Thanks for your reply. Yes I thought that she may well be getting on and off without my knowledge, after all I can't sit and watch her for every minute of the day. I have marked the six eggs with the dates they were laid, so I know which ones are the correct ones. None of the other hens are broody, in fact none of the ones that are laying at the moment have ever gone broody so there shouldn't be any competition to sit on them.

 

[gimmie birdies]

well sometimes a non-broody hen wants to lay and what better place than a batch of warm sat on eggs.