Can a Broody Hen Go An Extra Week?

[Glitterik]

My Turken, Pauladeen, was sitting on Rhode Island Red eggs. All was well until she got confused and returned to sit on the decoy eggs and let the real ones go cold. I added a few more eggs to the clutch and she continued to sit on them. If they all turn out to be dead (the cold ones plus the good ones I added later), can I put more eggs in the nest for Pauladeen that are due to hatch 7 days after her probably dead clutch was due? Or will her instincts tell her that 23 days is her broody limit?

I really would like to switch the eggs out asap if there's a chance Pauladeen won't notice but will likely continue to sit a week beyond day 23.

 

[Mrs MIA]

As long as you pull her off the nest at least once a day to eat/drink/POOP, she should be ok...

 

[Bat Cave Silkies]

I can't say for sure what your hen will do, but I can tell you my Silkie girls have sat on a nest for up to 8 weeks. It was not by my choice or encouragement....they just refused to stop setting! It's very worrisome because their health does decline; but they're all alive and well and went on to brood another day.

 

[geepy]

It really depends on the hen. I have one broody that will not come off a nest till she hears peeping. And I have had some that will come off and not hatch anything. How long were the eggs cold? They may still be good.

 

[La_TomboyGirl]

I hope it works for you! I got the same kinda sitch with my broody. our eggs aren't fertile & she'd been going a week by the time i got the mailorder hatching eggs under her. Tomorrow @ 4am is the end of day 10 & she's holding steady. Yay!

 

[Glitterik]

OMG! You chicken folks are the BEST. Such a quick response, and I was so worried ...

I have been giving Pauladeen an occasional broccoli head, tomato or ear of corn right there in her nest box. I'll switch the eggs out this weekend (actually, just add eggs to her clutch) and hope for the best. Seems like a few of the RIR eggs were sloshy inside (non-fertilized?) so I can toss those. The solid, heavy ones may have chicks and the white RIRs I added later may still hatch.

I've bought too many eggs (is there such a thing???) so I'm really juggling. I'm waiting on 20 Showgirls (all colors), red and buff turkens, White Marans and whatever RIRs may have survived. And show pen Ameracauna eggs are coming next month.

 

[La_TomboyGirl]

Wow. That does seem like a lot of eggs! This is my first hatching experience though, so what do i know? LOL My austrolorp is barely covering the 11 we have under her - all Light Sussex. I'll candle tomorrow & get rid of the quitters, etc., so that ought to help, I guess. A few days ago, 6 looked good for sure, 2 not so hot, the others were mysteries... Do you have a bator too? How fun that would be, to compare results, etc. & have backup in case hen decides to quit! I'd like some Showgirls too! Maybe next year...

 

[Glitterik]

I can't wait to see the little showgirls. I decided on showgirls rather than silkies because although they go broody too, they don't go broody as frequently and they lay more eggs. Plus, they're just so darned cute, right?

 

[Mrs.H]

One of my hens sat on eggs for about 30 days, nothing hatched. She broke one open, nothing was developed at all, then quit.