Broody with no babies, what to do with her?

[MizzClucker]

its now day 23. We heard chirping from one egg on day 20 but no noise now. I don’t think they are viable but she is dead set on sitting. She’s fairly young, only about 9 months. Should I give her more eggs? Should I try to break her broodiness? Should I just let her sit until she decides she’s done?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

All are options. Many hens just like setting. Not all are good moms. I would definitely remove the eggs so they don't explode. She may break herself after that.

 

[BlueBaby]

If you don't think that the eggs are any good, then you might have to go get her a couple of day old chicks and put them under her, removing the eggs at night. She could develop some health problems like starving if she has to sit on new eggs for 20 more days!

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

If she's serious, you can let her set again .I've done it several times. Make sure she has enough airflow o she's not hot. Put feed and water in front of her.

 

[MizzClucker]

Well, it’s been a terrible day. It’s day 25. So we removed broody from the nest, took the eggs, and cleaned it out because it was sure smelly. We wanted to see how many of the eggs had chicks in, we assumed only one. Opened the first egg, big perfect yellow chick, looked like it was starting to rot. Second egg, rotten yolk. Third egg was bloody, so I investigated further and a smaller black chick slid out and THEN IT STARTED MOVING! I scooped it and everything else up and RAN it to the house. Wrapped it in a warm wet cloth then wrapped all of that in a heating pad. It’s no longer moving and I feel so awful. I killed it! I frigging smashed it’s egg on the ground and killed it! My 5 year old is quite upset. So is the broody, darting around clucking like crazy. We gave her four more eggs and she immediately settled right down on them. It’s day 25. Did I not wait long enough? How do I know for sure that this chick is dead?

 

[50-45-1]

Is your Hen by herself in a separate pen or is her nest in general population with other chickens?

 

[MizzClucker]

Is your Hen by herself in a separate pen or is her nest in general population with other chickens?

General population, and in a nest box up off the ground too! Basically the worst place. We can’t remove her from the rest of the flock as we don’t even have a run. The horses destroyed my one and only run. So I might move her into the house into our brooder in a few days. It’s getting cold here in Alberta at night. And if any of these next four do hatch it will be too cold for them at the end of September. At what point would be a good time to move her inside? I don’t want to move her too soon as my husband will not be impressed that I’m bringing a chicken inside.

Honestly, i gave her more eggs because my son was so upset. He was the one who actually did the egg breaking. I really don’t want chicks this late in the year. So I told him he could pick some of today’s eggs and see if she will re-set.

 

[Morrigan]

I second the idea of giving her a couple of 1 to 3 day old chicks if you can find them. Brooding is hard work for them. I wouldn't put her through a whole second brood (which may not be successful either) if you can avoid it.

 

[50-45-1]

Day 25 would not be enough time if the egg was laid under your broody by a different hen 19 days ago.
You see what i am saying.
If your broody is in gp, you will have stagared batch. (Not all eggs due to hatch on the same day)
Sorry for what happened, but at this point i would head to farm supply and get her 3 or 4 day old chicks and slide them under her tonight.

 

[MizzClucker]

Day 25 would not be enough time if the egg was laid under your broody by a different hen 19 days ago.
You see what i am saying.
If your broody is in gp, you will have stagared batch. (Not all eggs due to hatch on the same day)
Sorry for what happened, but at this point i would head to farm supply and get her 3 or 4 day old chicks and slide them under her tonight.

I’m sure they were all laid on either the 6th or 7th. I went in and marked them on the 7th. She had three eggs on the 7th and still had three eggs today, although the marks were gone.