Help I don't think my broody got up today!

[PouleChick]

Help I'm pretty sure that Hermione my silkie didn't get up today. She has been sitting since Friday (possibly Saturday - I stupidly didn't write it down) on a warm day a couple of days ago she got up and had almost an hour sun baking, dust bathing, eating, drinking and all the other days I saw her up too. Yesterday I didn't see her up but wasnt' outside much so didn't worry but today I took a bit of note of the food (there was some sunflour seeds I sprinkled on and it didn' look disturbed at all). I particularly looked at the poo in the run so I could be sure if she had been out to poo and couldn't see anything (nor in her little coop). This afternoon I lifted her out off the eggs and onto the ground next to the food and water and she just laid there like a pancake for a while while I cleaned her coop (was only some poop from the other silkie where she roosts) and swapped out the hardboiled eggs I'd given her and the 2 eggs that Doris laid the last 2 days and replaced with the fertile eggs I bought yesterday. Then when I lifted her up and tried to show her the food she kind of roused herself only to ignore the food and drink and go back into the coop. Luckily she wasn't bothered and gathered up the new eggs and sat back down. I was outside getting the other chickens new coop set up so was around most of the afternoon so now I'm getting worried. For those that don't know my story - I'm new to chickens and bought 2 silkies (who apparently have been mums before) to be mums to build my little flock - that to say I'm clueless
What should I do?
Is she likely to make herself ill?
I have now moved Doris (my other silkie) into the main coop so she stops laying on her so I can leave the food and drink right in there with her - would that help?

I though using a broody was meant to be less stressful but I'm doing a fine job of stressing and it is only the first day I've put the real eggs under her

What do you all think?

 

[aart]

I have now moved Doris (my other silkie) into the main coop so she stops laying on her so I can leave the food and drink right in there with her - would that help?

Probably.

One of the reasons I segregate my broody to a small wired area by herself,
easy to see if she's eaten and pooped....and she can still see the flock.
They might sit tighter the first few days, and they don't always get up every day.
Just leave her be.

 

[PouleChick]

Probably.

One of the reasons I segregate my broody to a small wired area by herself,
easy to see if she's eaten and pooped....and she can still see the flock.
They might sit tighter the first few days, and they don't always get up every day.
Just leave her be.

Thank you @aart I shall go to bed feeling much relieved! I did try to search for the answers to this before posting but to no avail! So from what you say it is OK and normal to not get up every day - what amazing animals they are (I may be falling in love ).

 

[PouleChick]

and she can still see the flock.

Just thinking about this. At the moment her coop is in a run that is a smaller run within the main run (as you may remember we are only just past integration of the silkies and the 3 big girl pullets) - until I've been locking Doris out the gate has been left open for the last week or 2. Should I carry on opening the coop and giving her the opportunity to go out if she wants or should I leave her locked up (the coop is wire fronted) with food and water and open the gate so that she can actually properly see the flock (and more so them her) up closer? I'm not sure which would be best both for her now and reintegration etc later Here is a pic of what it looks like:

 

[aart]

She only needs room to get up and stretch her legs and poop away from nest/food/water.
My broody area is 4x6', nest takes up 14x16" of that space, water and feed hang on wall.
4x4' would probably be plenty.

This whole area is just for her?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Any sitting hen worth her laying pellets will sit for 3 to 4 days in a row before she leavs the nest to eat, drink, defecate and maybe take a roll in the dust.. The nice thing is that you won't need to wast any time looking for her poops, your nose will sniff it out her egg sized poops before you get near her coop or pen.

 

[PouleChick]

This whole area is just for her?

Yes - it is the run that I had the silkies separated from the big girls in so there is the tire with sand for dust bathing (although they prefer the one they have dug under the tree ) is it just too big? I can easily move the fencing (it is all pretty temporary as I work out what works / what I need and start building my more permanant stuff) further back, which would actually make it easier for me to run much smaller wire around for before the chicks arrive as they'll be able to get out the square fencing that is at the back and side. What sort of surface area would be required so it is good for her and the chicks as well? Or should I have a 2 step arrangement - one size for now and one for when they arrive?

Any sitting hen worth her laying pellets will sit for 3 to 4 days in a row before she leavs the nest to eat, drink, defecate and maybe take a roll in the dust.

Oh really - now I've not read this before so hence my panic - really interesting and points again to her knowing what she is doing and being a good little mama . The last time she really got up for more than a few minutes that I saw was the last sunny, warm day, it is again today so hoping she'll be up later but at least I am not as worried now.

The nice thing is that you won't need to wast any time looking for her poops, your nose will sniff it out her egg sized poops before you get near her coop or pen.

Oh how I'm looking forward to that

 

[aart]

What sort of surface area would be required so it is good for her and the chicks as well?

Chicks and mama don't need much space for the first 2-3 weeks, then I let them out with the flock...but all my runs have 1/2" HC on the bottom 2 feet and I don't free range at all.

The nice thing is that you won't need to wast any time looking for her poops, your nose will sniff it out her egg sized poops before you get near her coop or pen.

Boy, that's the truth!!

 

[Gspsaku]

Don’t worry, when a hen is hungry enough, she will get off to get some water, feed, and relieve herself.