Confession: I don't EVER want another broody hen!

[gritsar]

I can't stand to see my girls suffer!

My two silkies are handling their broodiness fine. They get up at least once a day to eat and drink and poop. I haven't seen them do it, but each morning some of their food is gone and they leave me a nice pile of broody poo, so...

It's my SF "Doe" that's having such a hard time. She's been sitting for a total of 31 days now - 11 on her first (bad) clutch, now 20 on her second. She's due to hatch them tomorrow - and I can tell the poor thing is about worn out. She has food and water not 5" from her beak, but she is refusing to leave her eggs long enough to eat. Yesterday I ended up hand feeding her and holding the bowl of water in front of her so she could get a good long drink.

I can't stand it! At this point I just want my sweet little pullet back!

 

[Germaine_11.20]

That is how I feel. After I had my sweet cochin die from sitting on her eggs I just can't let them anymore. I had both food and water inches from her but she refused to partake. However I didn't realize she wasn't until I found her petrified. Never again.

 

[gmendoza]

Well you got to give em a break. they cant be on the eggs over and over again.That will kill them!!

 

[easttxchick]

Poor girl.

I worried about my little Pyncheon hen, Veronica when she sat a clutch last summer. She was a fantastic mommy!
I felt SO much better once they hatched and she HAD to eat and drink in order to teach her babies-that way I knew she was getting what she needed(of course, she always let the babies go first).

 

[gritsar]

For now I'm just going to keep handfeeding her, a couple of times a day. Gonna cook her some scrambled eggs with cheese today too.
She has until Monday to hatch something or get something from the bator or both. After that she has to stop this nonsense!

 

[easttxchick]

She'll be OK, Kat, you're keeping a good eye on her and making sure she eats and drinks(whether she wants to or not).
Once she has little ones crawling all over her, poking their little beaks in the eyes/face, she'll be as happy as a clam.

 

[Tanichca]

poor gritty! As i recall, just a few months ago you were begging for broodies. I guess you get what you wish for.... Like the Israelites in the desert, begging for meat from heaven, and so God sends a bunch of quail down. Only problem, is that the quail makes everyone super sick and a bunch of people die.... at least, i think thats the story

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Karma is a...

 

[gritsar]

A.T. Hagan :

Karma is a...

Yeah ain't it though.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

For the ones that are bad at self care, can't you pick them up once a day and set them far enough away that they will poop and maybe eat and drink? I also keep food and water close enough that they don't have to get up to have it. I still pick them up and move them, so they can poop. If they don't poop, they'll also stop eating and drinking. Poor dedicated moms...