Help! Broody hen not eating!

[SMorrison7k]

I have a 9 month old hen who was determined to brood. She is drinking plenty of water, but isn't eating well and I can't find a large poop in the last several days. Her comb is already looking pretty bad and she is only on Day 10 (plus 5 days that I tried to battle the brooding before I gave in).
What are your favorite high protein snacks that broody hens might want to eat? I have not yet scrambled up eggs for her, because I don't know how fast they will go bad if she doesn't eat them (I'm in Arizona).

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Most broody hens don't eat much and they slowly lose weight which is normal, that's why if a person isn't going to use a broody hen it's best to break her right away. It's taxing on them to hatch and raise chicks. Your hen will eat more after her eggs hatch.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I have a 9 month old hen who was determined to [sit]. She is drinking plenty of water, but isn't eating well and I can't find a large poop in the last several days...

The truth is that there are NO high protein snacks of any kind that will tempt a sitting hen into eating. Only you can make a sitting hen eat and to do that you must be bigger and badder than the sitting hen and break her sitting trance or behavior. I realize that this is unwelcome news to you but it is the truth.

A setting hen will only defecate once every 3 to 5 days.

 

[SMorrison7k]

Most broody hens don't eat much and they slowly lose weight which is normal, that's why if a person isn't going to use a broody hen it's best to break her right away. It's taxing on them to hatch and raise chicks. Your hen will eat more after her eggs hatch.

I am aware that they do not eat much, but as far as I can tell she has only had 3 poops in the 10 days. And my understanding is that she should be eliminating waste at least every 2 days? Also, she does not seem to have touched her food at all in the past 3 days.

 

[bobbi-j]

I've always felt that they're not really burning calories, so they don't need them as much. Are you sure she's not eating? Broodies tend to want to be secretive when they're on the nest, so she may be leaving it when you're not looking. Does she get to go outside? Could be she's pooping where you can't see her if she does. I have never had a broody starve to death on the nest. Really - her instinct tells her more about how to be a broody than you or I will ever know.

 

[bobbi-j]

Maybe check her to make sure she doesn't have lice or mites taking her down.

 

[SMorrison7k]

I've always felt that they're not really burning calories, so they don't need them as much. Are you sure she's not eating? Broodies tend to want to be secretive when they're on the nest, so she may be leaving it when you're not looking. Does she get to go outside? Could be she's pooping where you can't see her if she does. I have never had a broody starve to death on the nest. Really - her instinct tells her more about how to be a broody than you or I will ever know.

She is completely by herself, so I can tell that she is not eating based on the level of food remaining. She does have a very large open pen that she has access to during the day, but I can only find the three piles of poop (all near the coop)...it is possible I have missed some. I am always all about letting nature take its course, it just makes me nervous that her comb has so faded so quickly. I have read horror stories of other young hens not taking care of themselves properly and dying, but I'm sure this is so rare I should not worry. It's just my first time that I have allowed a hen to brood so it is new to me!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I am aware that they do not eat much, but as far as I can tell she has only had 3 poops in the 10 days. And my understanding is that she should be eliminating waste at least every 2 days? Also, she does not seem to have touched her food at all in the past 3 days.

Is she penned where you can monitor what's going in and out? I personally have never watched them that closely. If you are truly worried than you should break her. You can't make her eat.

 

[SMorrison7k]

Maybe check her to make sure she doesn't have lice or mites taking her down.

That's a good idea, thank you. I do sometimes have to fight red mites.

 

[SMorrison7k]

Is she penned where you can monitor what's going in and out? I personally have never watched them that closely. If you are truly worried than you should break her. You can't make her eat.

Yes she is penned completely separate so I can see all that goes in and out. I may give her a couple more days and try to break her again if she still hasn't eliminated any waste. She is much more determined than any broody I have ever dealt with.