Does hen eat while sitting on eggs

[PD-Riverman]

We're hsving same problem. Our first brooder. She is not eating. Though we have set out foid and water by her. I guess we wil. Try lifting her off next to see is she'll est and poop.

This is a several year old thread---but to reply to you. I have set and hatched out over 70 hens in the last year, I have never had one to die and for sure I Do Not Put feed and water next to their nest-----doing so has about always caused them to poop in the nest. I have Never took a hen off her nest----they WILL come off when they get ready----Think about a free-range broody that disappeared and shows back up with a large amount of chicks-----They seem to do better when the Human does not interfere with them-----LOL. So I put their food and water a few feet away from the nest---they need to get off the nest to poop and stretch their legs so that helps them do that. Good Luck

 

[chrissiemids]

I too have a broody on eggs.The first week she kept getting off and forgetting to go back so I had to put her back in pen.Now week two she will not leave the eggs at all, just sits there in a trance. No food or water, am I worrying for nothing. One minute I read to put food nearby and then not to. Confused......Think I will let nature take its cause and hope she is OK.

 

[chrissiemids]

So after 4 days solid sitting, today I took her gently off nest to put her out. She ate drank and did a massive poop then went straight back onto nest. Success yeah.

 

[1906]

My hen got off her nest once a day for 20 to 30 minutes a day while incubating the eggs except for the last 2 days before they hatched. Two chicks hatched a week ago. She is a very good mother, no problems there, BUT she is not eating at all. No matter what I offers her, she takes it and immediately offers it to her chicks. She drank maybe a few sips of water a day. Any advice please?

 

[PD-Riverman]

So after 4 days solid sitting, today I took her gently off nest to put her out. She ate drank and did a massive poop then went straight back onto nest. Success yeah.

When a free-range hen goes broody and hides---wonder how she survives without humans helping her---LOL. They do Not need us taking them off the nest---we might take her off when we shouldn't. They do not need us to put water and food at the nest----if we have them closed up by themselves---yes we have to put food and water in their pen but not where they can get to it without getting off the nest. Do this and report back to US. If you have a free-range hen disappear-----Look hard for her until you find her----then take pictures of all the food and water she has collected at her nest------LOL-----you want get no pictures because she will not have any next to her nest-----so why do some feel they need to place some by their penned broody hen??? I have set MANY broody's---all are placed in private pens, all have food and water on the other side of the pen---None are EVER taken off their nest----None are bothered/looked under while they are hatching, All hatch 99.9% of all the fertile eggs placed under them by me when I choose the eggs and set the hens. My broodies have hatched close 2000 chicks in the last few years. I have set 150+/- in the last 3 years and have NEVER had one to die-----They do a great job without my help after setting them.