Help Broody Hen and Tough Decision

[NorthernMIFlock]

Hello, I have a young hen (1 yr in July) that decided to become broody 8/21. We have no rooster so I got a few maybe fertilized eggs from neighbor, but due to her nest box choice, they got stepped on by other hens days 1 &2. So…I tried to break her broodiness, but she is determined! So I ended up ordering a few chicks from Cackle Hatchery, due to arrive a bit before her eggs would hatch. I just got an email from them saying “thanks for your flexibility!”but we won’t ship chicks until 9/21, arrival 9/22-9/24. Now I’m worried that she will either give up being broody or it’s too long to sit. Anyone have experience that can help me decide to cancel the chick order or let her sit? She does get up to eat/poop daily but is a great dedicated sitter. TIA!

 

[HumbleAmerican]

You are looking at 28 or so days? I have had broody hens hang on that long. Does she have dummy eggs to set on?

If you were going to increase your flock size anyway, even if it meant raising the chicks and integrating them without momma hen.... I'd go for it. Just be ready if it doesn't work. I'd give it 50/50 for her to set on eggs for an additional week.

 

[HumbleAmerican]

Also, read up on broody jail here on BYC. They will break. Its typically the owner (myself included) that caves into the broody bird's plight.

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

This is where my broody is staying on a clutch, second significant gash to my leg just checking on her a little while ago. Candler comes tomorrow, I am giving her until Sunday. Our Cockerel was rehomed on the 14th of August about the same time she started her disappearing act. The random brown one was from one of my girls snooping around.

 

[NorthernMIFlock]

You are looking at 28 or so days? I have had broody hens hang on that long. Does she have dummy eggs to set on?

If you were going to increase your flock size anyway, even if it meant raising the chicks and integrating them without momma hen.... I'd go for it. Just be ready if it doesn't work. I'd give it 50/50 for her to set on eggs for an additional week.

Thank you! Well I had her hatching on 9/11, if the chicks come 9/23 that’s about 33 days of broody. I just wondered if most hens just give up after a certain period of time? I have a yearly broody who has always hatched right at 21 so I haven’t experienced this before.

 

[NorthernMIFlock]

This is where my broody is staying on a clutch, second significant gash to my leg just checking on her a little while ago. Candler comes tomorrow, I am giving her until Sunday. Our Cockerel was rehomed on the 14th of August about the same time she started her disappearing act. The random brown one was from one of my girls snooping around.

So she’s been sitting since 8/14? I’m encouraged by that, thx

 

[junior67]

My broody's have sat about 4-4.5 weeks. One I was going to hatch in an incubator right when my girl went broody so I gave her the eggs, none developed so a week into it I gave her some more (once I realized none were developing). Another 2 I had ordered eggs around when they went broody which took a week or so to be shipped and get to me. one of them had 1 chick hatch and the other had none so I bought her eggs and gave her chicks. Then the first one that went broody decided to AGAIN and I had eggs to go in my incubator but since it was her 2nd time broody in about 6-8 weeks I didn't want her sitting as I wanted her off the nest as much as possible. Figured if she stayed broody I would let her raise the chicks after they hatched. She went broody I think the day I set the eggs or maybe one day before or after..... I made her get off the nest box a few times a day. Well the day I put the eggs into lock down (day 18) she broke from being broody.. they hatched on day 20. LOL My next broody matched up with when the next batch of eggs were in the incubator so I let her sit on fake eggs, then at lockdown I gave her 4 of the eggs. after the rest hatched I gave them to her. Then once again that first chicken went broody for the 3rd time since I think April... Thankfully that one only lasted about a week and she broke herself.

all of mine have had fake eggs to sit on.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I had a broody that hung on for about 2 months. I never tried the broody jail, but I took her off the nest twice a day for food and water. She finally broke herself.

 

[Aunt Angus]

It really depends on the individual hen, ime. 33 days isn't abnormal, really, as they may lay a clutch and have eggs that hatch on different days. Plus, they stay on the nest for a while once the chicks have hatched, anyway. If she's determined, I'm sure it will be fine. Just make sure she's taking care of herself.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I regularly do not give a hen eggs until a week after she first goes broody. It sometimes takes that long to collect all the eggs I want her to hatch. No one can give you a guarantee but I'd be OK with expecting her to stay broody for the full 33 days.

Can you order chicks from a different hatchery and get them sooner? I've gotten chicks from Cackle and was pleased with them but there are a lot of hatcheries out there not named Cackle.