Help ~ Chicken -?- brooding ?

[freecc]

I'm pet/ critter sitting for daughter. One chicken hasn't moved off nest for wk or more! ? I don't want anything bad happening on my watch. There's a fresh egg in am, not what she's sitting on. How do I determine she's OK or not? What do I do to help her? There's a possibility, since they do wander country neighborhood, that she's seen a roster! ?!? I'm putting food water near her. Talking Soothingly to her at am feeding time. Do I leave her be, go get a for sure fertile egg for her?! Cannot reach daughter, I live in city lol.

 

[Poultry parent]

Hens will go broody wether or not they've been around a roo. Just give her food, and water. You could give her some fertile eggs, but only if you want chicks

 

[TheTwoRoos]

There is nothing wronh here,other then fact im pretty for sure she is sitting.Hens will sit without a rooster being around,and trust me just because there is rooster in the area.means nothing.Chickens do not go all out just to be matdd with.Her eggs probably are bot fertile,but as Poultry Parent said,you could give her a few fertile eggs from somebody and hatch.

You cn try breaking her by dipping her in cool water for about 2 minutes and collecting all eggs quicker before she can get to them. Remove her every chance you can.

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. If you have a pet crate, you can put her in that (with food and water), but put the crate on a couple of bricks - this will allow cool air to circulate under her and discourage her broodiness.

 

[Teila]

G’Day from down under freecc

Welcome!

How long is your daughter away? Will she want to come home to a hen sitting on eggs or even a brood of chicks?

As mentioned, you have two options, give her fertile eggs or break her broodiness. It will not be good for her to stay on the nest for an extended period of time and if she is determined, she could sit for way past the usual 21 days, over which time she will lose weight and condition.

Best wishes on the path you decide to take and please do not hesitate to ask any questions; we will definitely help out where we can.

 

[freecc]

Thank you SO much to you & everyone!!!
She won't be back til sat nite late (if trip not extended) 5.6.17. Daughter very sweet & would probably be thrilled if there we're baby chicks lol. As long as chicken is alive and well it will be good. She raised all the chickens she has from chicks. I don't know where to get fertile eggs. I truly appreciate this info! I can't yet see myself doing these things to her, oh my. Funny thing is. ... every am there's one egg not under her - for me to take! ? But she's still sitting on at least the one. I'm guessing from what daughter said that at the beg of thus week (Sunday) it had already been two weeks +/-. So that will be three by time she gets home. Will she let me put new egg(s) under her? Won't she get confused, upset, focus broken? There's no real way to tell if egg she's on is fettle is there? Lol, except wait see if hatches. ;-)

 

[Teila]

Thank you SO much to you & everyone!!!
She won't be back til sat nite late (if trip not extended) 5.6.17. Daughter very sweet & would probably be thrilled if there we're baby chicks lol. As long as chicken is alive and well it will be good. She raised all the chickens she has from chicks. I don't know where to get fertile eggs. I truly appreciate this info! I can't yet see myself doing these things to her, oh my. Funny thing is. ... every am there's one egg not under her - for me to take! ? But she's still sitting on at least the one. I'm guessing from what daughter said that at the beg of thus week (Sunday) it had already been two weeks +/-. So that will be three by time she gets home. Will she let me put new egg(s) under her? Won't she get confused, upset, focus broken? There's no real way to tell if egg she's on is fettle is there? Lol, except wait see if hatches. ;-)

Hey freecc

While she should let you put new fertile egg(s) under her, unless they have been previously incubating, they are going to need 21 days under the hen to hatch. If she has already been sitting 2 weeks, adding a further 3 weeks to that could cause her to give up before the extra 3 weeks is up or, if she does continue to sit, 5 weeks of being broody and not eating much will take a further toll on her overall condition.

Also, if the egg she currently has is fertile and hatches, she will most likely disregard any new eggs you give her and leave the nest to raise her little one.

I have not done it myself, but you can ‘candle’ an egg to see if it is developing.

This is a link to an article with pictures and videos of candling chickens eggs: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/pictures-and-videos-of-candling-chicken-eggs

This is a good article also which shows you how to make an egg candler and has images of candled eggs: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...-egg-candler-using-common-household-materials

Best wishes and good luck!