Heartbroken-Mother Hen

[Kimberly333]

So its been about 29 days for my hen. She went broody early September and decided to sit on her eggs. However, a few of her eggs were not hers, they were my other hen's eggs. One thing we are not sure about is that her rooster/mate died a week earlier and I'm not sure if these eggs she's sitting on fertilized or not. So I decided to give her time. Although by the looks of it she seems depressed, as if she knows her babies won't be born. Its heartbreaking to her and myself, and I have no idea what to do. I will wait one more week and throw the eggs out if they don't hatch, but how can I cheer the poor mother? She was always a nice little hen who got along with the whole flock, but she's been moody and she won't even let us go near her. Any ideas or tips please?

 

[chicmom]

OH, 29 days on the eggs? Don't worry so much about her attitude, because that's the way broody hens behave. I would take all those rotten eggs away (before one or more get broken and stink to high heaven), and get her off the nest. She needs to move about, eat, take a dust bath in the dirt and go back to being a happy chicken.

It might seem like she's depressed, but it's a hormonal thing, and if you just keep taking away any eggs, and putting her off the nest, she should come out if it before long.