Broody not in lockdown, day 20

[JCaseyHammond]

Thank you!! I intended to let her keep the chick, it was while moving them both on the nesting pad that the chick somehow came out from under her and got squished. So momma and egg are still in the brooder now, and I hope it’ll hatch so she has a chance to raise it. She’s pretty devout and I don’t want her to keep sitting. I know it’s not good for them to do that back to back. I’m afraid if it doesn’t hatch she’ll want to keep sitting.
I know it was just an accident, but it still feels pretty horrible for a soft-hearted first timer!

I’m not sure why your first broody has to be in winter, which is a challenge, but just do the best you can with it.

The fastest I’ve been able to get a chicken to stop setting, is to just let her stay put and hatch an egg. I’ve tried other ways to get a hen to stop brooding in the winter, but they took longer than 21 days.

 

[ChickensForEggs2500]

@Cinnaqueen3305 How did the rest of the hatch go?

 

[Cinnaqueen3305]

@Cinnaqueen3305 How did the rest of the hatch go?

Dud. She sat on that last egg another week until it was looking grody and I candled it again. Dead. Looks like it got shrink wrapped but I didn’t have the heart to break it open.

 

[JCaseyHammond]

Dud. She sat on that last egg another week until it was looking grody and I candled it again. Dead. Looks like it got shrink wrapped but I didn’t have the heart to break it open.

I’m sorry this clutch didn’t work out. Wishing you best of luck in spring! But as consolation, you now know you have a broody hen (worth their weight in gold for various reasons). Also you won’t have chicks with lifelong health problems from being hatched out of season.