Food and Water ? Broody Hen

[jbowyer01]

I've used the search tool on finding info on broody hens but I am unable to find an answer to this question. My hen is presently sitting in a nest box which is 4 to 5 feet away from the food and water. She is still in the coop with all the other chickens but will be moved this weekend. We are in the process of turning part of my DH's work shed into a new larger coop, but it will not be finished until this weekend. None of the other chickens are bothering her and I'm not really worried about her taking in other eggs because shes a bantam cochin (all my other chickens are bantams also) and I slid 5 of Miss_Prissy's bbs orpington eggs under her. So its obvious which ones should not be under her

I understand she will not leave the nest but a couple of times a week but I did want to make sure that food and water were accessible to her. There is no room to put a feeder and waterer any closer at the present moment will she be okay or should I move her now into a dog crate and place it where the new coop will be finished? I'v never dealt with a broody hen before so this is new to me, any advice is appreciated.

 

[PortageGirl]

She is probably getting up at least once a day, maybe twice or more even. Just not when you're around. She's probably doing so when things are quiet and she feels safe and feels like the eggs will be safest. They usually get up every day to poo and drink some water, and eat a bit and stretch their legs, four or five feet isn't that far, eggs are quite safe if a hen gets up for a few minutes.

 

[Judy]

My broody would eat, drink, poo, and go outside for a few minutes to scratch in the dirt, at least once a day. Sometimes someone else would sit on her egg while she was out. She would come back and join the other hen. She hatched her egg and raised her chick.

 

[basicliving]

I had two go broody at the same time. At first they would both leave the nest and eat and drink each day. But after a week or so, one of them started looking pretty bad and I never saw her off the nest. I started putting her down each day and she would drink and peck at a little food and head right back to the nest. They both eventually ended up with chicks, but the one I never saw leaving the nest lost a great deal of weight. She's fine now though. I'd just watch her - if you really think she's not getting off the nest, I'd try sitting her down near her food/water once a day or so, just in case.

 

[jbowyer01]

Thanks everyone. I have two incubators going and 1 is a staggered hatch and then she goes broody.. go figure..so I slide those eggs right under her

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basicliving I took a few minutes to check out yur web page..nice!