Found chicken sitting hasn’t eaten

[Barb Root Hinkkanen]

Hello, Chicken Peeps!

I have a question and couldn’t find an answer. I had a little hen go missing about 10 days ago. I looked everywhere, at least I thought I had looked everywhere. Today I found her. She was in a coop I am not currently using. I did check there but we may have crossed paths.

She is a pretty little Cochin, or I thought. I have a WTB rooster and he must be her daddy. I know that blue and brown equals green eggs but hers are blue! I was very upset when I couldn’t find her.

Anyway, she did not go back to her coop one night. The next day she was waiting for her morning treats on the porch. The next night she didn’t come back and that was when I couldn’t find her.

Fast forward to today… the coop she is in has no food or water. Will she be okay? I cozied her up, petted her for a while and chatted with her a bit. She looks fine. Her eyes are bright and her comb is still red.

I immediately brought her water and food. Then I scrambled an egg and cut up some fresh fruit for her. I added a little molasses to her water. I am so worried that she hasn’t had any nourishment for so long. Should I do anything else?

Also, when do I start timing the eggs for hatching? I just checked on her again and she’s drinking water. She clucked a little when I lifted her. She’s sitting on at least 10 eggs. I don’t understand how the eggs just sit there and then all of them hatch at the same time. Mother Nature and chickens are AMAZING !

I want to write it down. I didn’t with my last sitters. They were quite young. One was sitting, another joined her in the same box, two Cochins, then a little Silkie joined them. All three of them were sitting in the same box. Since they were so young, and, in a pen with a very young rooster, I put some of our green eggs under them. This week they hatched seven little chicks who have three mamas watching over them. It is precious.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

It's a good idea you put in some food and water for her. That will make life a little easier.

She apparently didn't prefer the communal box thing, so went and found her own cozy little area. As long as she is safe from predators, and the chicks have a good location to hatch, bully for her.

Brooding hens do not eat or drink much. They sit on the nest 24x7 getting up only once a day (generally) for about 20 minutes to eat, drink, and poo. (Having food and water closer simply makes it easier, but she could forage out as long as it was in a known location).

Eggs will hatch at the same time if they are set at the SAME time. Otherwise you get what is known as a staggered hatch. See below.

When the egg is laid, it literally is vacuum packed in the shell (cooling down from body heat when laid) with a microbial bloom that helps prevent bacterial overgrowth. The blastoderm has both male and female DNA (the white spot on the egg yolk which looks like a bullseye when the male DNA is added). This DNA is held in stasis until brought to a constant 101 or 102 F temperature for 24 hours. The blastoderm then begins to germinate and the growth process which lasts 21 days (ish) starts. This is best started within 7 to 10 days from being laid in order to have the greatest success, but I've had 14 day old eggs hatch (though generally at a lower percentage of success).

Your hen sounds like a good mother. (I have Cochin mothers which are excellent, including their half daughters).

Just keep an eye on her. Replenish her feed dish and water. Regular chick start is an excellent food for the expecting mom.

A day or two after hatch, you will likely see her bring the chicks back to the flock.

If desired, you can candle the eggs on day 7 and day 14 to see which ones are developing, disposing of those that are "duds."

Good luck, and let us know how it goes
LofMc

 

[Mrs. K]

She was getting food and water. She just made her own arrangements. More than one person has written off a hen, sure that a predator got it, only to find her come into the flock with little balls of fluff following her.

I would let her be as much as possible. A lot of time, people with the best of intentions, interfere too much. What fun you have ahead of you.

Praying for a broody hen! I have chicks coming, and it would be nice to have a foster mother.

 

[Barb Root Hinkkanen]

It's a good idea you put in some food and water for her. That will make life a little easier.

She apparently didn't prefer the communal box thing, so went and found her own cozy little area. As long as she is safe from predators, and the chicks have a good location to hatch, bully for her.

Brooding hens do not eat or drink much. They sit on the nest 24x7 getting up only once a day (generally) for about 20 minutes to eat, drink, and poo. (Having food and water closer simply makes it easier, but she could forage out as long as it was in a known location).

Eggs will hatch at the same time if they are set at the SAME time. Otherwise you get what is known as a staggered hatch. See below.

When the egg is laid, it literally is vacuum packed in the shell (cooling down from body heat when laid) with a microbial bloom that helps prevent bacterial overgrowth. The blastoderm has both male and female DNA (the white spot on the egg yolk which looks like a bullseye when the male DNA is added). This DNA is held in stasis until brought to a constant 101 or 102 F temperature for 24 hours. The blastoderm then begins to germinate and the growth process which lasts 21 days (ish) starts. This is best started within 7 to 10 days from being laid in order to have the greatest success, but I've had 14 day old eggs hatch (though generally at a lower percentage of success).

Your hen sounds like a good mother. (I have Cochin mothers which are excellent, including their half daughters).

Just keep an eye on her. Replenish her feed dish and water. Regular chick start is an excellent food for the expecting mom.

A day or two after hatch, you will likely see her bring the chicks back to the flock.

If desired, you can candle the eggs on day 7 and day 14 to see which ones are developing, disposing of those that are "duds."

Good luck, and let us know how it goes
LofMc

Thank you, I will. I picked her up cuddled her a bit today. When I put her back down, she ate before going back to her eggs. He’d color is good and her eyes are bright and clear. She is safe and secure. I am still uncertain if when to begin the count.

 

[Mrs. K]

If she can get in there, so can other hens? I would mark the eggs that are there now, so you would know if anyone added eggs. You can get too big of clutch. I would leave her alone as much as possible - but maybe in 4-5 days candle, getting rid of any no goers. Then just wait, you really don't have to do anything until she brings them out.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Thank you, I will. I picked her up cuddled her a bit today. When I put her back down, she ate before going back to her eggs. He’d color is good and her eyes are bright and clear. She is safe and secure. I am still uncertain if when to begin the count.

Is she sitting pretty much 24x7? have you let eggs be added to the clutch?
Count begins after 24 hours of sitting on an egg. You may have the start of a staggered hatch if eggs were brought in after the first were started in their embryonic journey.

I suggest you avoid cuddling her and let her do her work. She has a very important job to do. Incubate those eggs.

At this point, it may be necessary to quickly and carefully candle the eggs to see if you have development, and if they appear to be somewhat in the same stage.

First week is roadmap of veins
Second week is the dark blob on one end with some veins radiating out
Third week is mostly dark blob at the end with air cell on other

You want all the eggs hatching at the same time to avoid confusing the hen with either tending chicks or tending eggs.
LofMc

 

[Barb Root Hinkkanen]

If she can get in there, so can other hens? I would mark the eggs that are there now, so you would know if anyone added eggs. You can get too big of clutch. I would leave her alone as much as possible - but maybe in 4-5 days candle, getting rid of any no goers. Then just wait, you really don't have to do anything until she brings them out.

Thank you! She is by herself. Her eggs are also a different color and size.