Does a Broody know when to stop sitting on eggs that don't hatch?

DianaMallory

Songster
8 Years
Jul 20, 2012
729
170
206
Lancaster Ohio
First time with a broody hen sitting on eggs. One chick hatched this morning and nothing else yet. Will she know when the hatch is over or will I have to pull her eggs if they don't hatch?

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My broody lasted not quite three days, then he pooped in the nest and walked away with her babies. I candled what was left and put the three possible latecomers in the incubator, just in case. Mama swiped two eggs from her sisters' nests on Day 3, so if we have nothing in five days, the leftovers will go and we'll start over. I'm happy with the four babies we have. I just can't help hoping that at least one of these eggs will hatch, too.
Ever the optimist and ever hopeful!
 
Well good luck to both of you!! I wish I had a broody hen! I had one try but she was in the favorite spot :(
Next time, either move her or block off the box so she's the sole proprietor. My little Nankin hen took two tries, too, and just hatched out four new babies ... plus the one we managed to incubate from her first abandoned clutch, that makes five new babies for a critically endangered chicken breed. I'm happy ... but I've still got my fingers crossed that at least one of these last three hatch. I think I saw one move when I candled them at the transfer, so again, I'm hopeful ....
 
Well I've got my fingers crossed for you!! And yes I know, but she's only a year old so I don't think she would sit for the duration, and at the time I didn't even have an incubator, so I wasn't trying too hard to get her to do her thing! :)
 
Well good luck to both of you!! I wish I had a broody hen! I had one try but she was in the favorite spot :(
I had to move her from the coop and into a brooder box alone, the fighting over the nest was getting ridicules! And it was safer for any babies, to keep them from falling out of the nest and the coop. And make sure you move them at night.
 

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