Expired Broody Hen ?

[Sadness Child]

I have a 4 year old speckled sussex that went broody about a week and a half ago (first time ever for me and the chicken) I was wondering if I put 3 eggs under her will she still sit on them until they hatch?

 

[Mvan42]

Normally a broody will only sit on a nest a few days after the first chicks hatch. She won’t sit for an extra week and a half. My broody left two which would have hatched on day 23, I ended up warming them up and assisted them to hatch, thought they were dead until they got warm...

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

It all depends on how serious she is. If hens are coming in all the time; you might want to give her her own coop where other chickens won't come in and bother her or the chicks. You might want to put 10-12 eggs under her. The only time I ever did 3 eggs under a hen was I put 3 standard eggs under a bantam. She hatched all 3, but they were all roosters that quickly out grew the poor thing.
With new mothers, you should always keep a close eye on the mother first couple of days after hatch. I had a bantam that started killing her chicks when her chicks hatched. Thankfully I had a back-up bantam who was able to hatch out and raise the last chick. That chick, Lucy, is going to be 4 years old next month.

 

[bigz1983]

I don't think a broody hen has a timeline when they expire.
4 year old hens could still hatch out eggs.
As long as she is in good health she could still hatch out eggs
I don't think she is "expired"

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

The older the hen the better the mother that they are. Older hens are actually more likely to go broody than younger hens. The only problem that I've heard of is that their hatch rate goes down. My 5 year old Orpington's last hatch was 4 out of 11-12 eggs. I don't know if she would be a good example of that, though. That was her fourth hatch, and the most chicks she has ever hatched was an average of 5 chicks.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I think you are asking if she will sit for 21 days, then quit, abandoning the eggs which would still have over a week left before they are ready to hatch. Is that it? The answer is no, if she is truly broody, she won't just suddenly quit on Day 21. In fact, hens without any eggs have been known to stay broody for WEEKS longer than 21 days, desperately waiting for nonexistent eggs to hatch and turn them into satisfied mama hens.

So putting fertile eggs under her is a happy thing to do, even if thy are something other than chicken eggs in a pinch. Just remember, the babies will bond to her, so snapping turtle eggs are probably not a good choice! Maybe pheasant or duck eggs, or quail might do. Certaily chicken eggs should be a #1 choice!

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I think you are asking if she will sit for 21 days, then quit, abandoning the eggs which would still have over a week left before they are ready to hatch. Is that it? The answer is no, if she is truly broody, she won't just suddenly quit on Day 21. In fact, hens without any eggs have been known to stay broody for WEEKS longer than 21 days, desperately waiting for nonexistent eggs to hatch and turn them into satisfied mama hens.

So putting fertile eggs under her is a happy thing to do, even if thy are something other than chicken eggs in a pinch. Just remember, the babies will bond to her, so snapping turtle eggs are probably not a good choice! Maybe pheasant or duck eggs, or quail might do. Certaily chicken eggs should be a #1 choice!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Oh come on, it wasn't THAT funny. I was trying for a little humor, but .... mumbling something to myself about hiring better writers .....

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Oh come on, it wasn't THAT funny. I was trying for a little humor, but .... mumbling something to myself about hiring better writers .....

It was the snapping turtle eggs.