did I break the broody?

[quarkthestrange]

Hello,

I am new to the chicken world and have found myself with a broody hen. Well, one of my hens got out and disappeared for 2 weeks, comes back with a flock of chicks, nearly doubling my flock. So, I currently have 7 chicks. Another hen went broody 1-2 weeks ago (I've had a housesitter so I'm not sure exactly how long). She'd been (the housesitter) taking her eggs from under her, but I've decided to let her hatch some eggs. Is it too late? This morning, there are no eggs under her, but some hens I'm sure will lay eggs this afternoon, so she should have eggs again my the end of the day.

Thank you!

 

[bobbi-j]

The only thing you can do is give her some eggs and see what happens. I'd suggest collecting all the eggs you want to put under her first, though, and give them to her all at once.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

X2 on giving her the eggs all at once. Take them from her until you have what you want. Hopefully you can start in a day or two. 5 weeks is hard on a bird to be broody but I've had one go even longer. Could not break her so finally gave in and let her set some.

If she has broken broody she'd not still be on the nest.