Help with a broody

[Hambone]

I have a golden comet hen who is acting broody. I have no experience with this. I didn't think gc's went broddy. She was missing one day last week when I found her sitting on an egg in the grass. I picked her up and put her in the coop. Doing that is normally impossiable. My hens never let me pick them up like that. Tonight I put my chickens away and found her sitting on eggs in the coop. So you tell me what do you think. Should I put eggs under her. She is on like 4 eggs now. But she is not staying on them. She ran all around all day today. I thought when they go broddy they only get off the eggs to eat and drink then back to the eggs. What do you think

 

[Imp]

If she is leaving them all day doesn't sound like she's broody. Maybe working up to it or just sleeping in the nest?

Imp

 

[danielle82]

well, Ive never had a broody chicken, but I do have 2 geese that like to brood. So this a more of a bump
When my first goose went broody, the first few days were more of "practice broody" she stayed on her eggs for a few hours here and there, wouldn't let me touch them, but was off the nest most of the time. Then all of sudden full on broody, I'm not sure if chickens are the same way

 

[DAFox]

I think you will just have to wait and see. Broody hens will pull out their own breast feathers so they can have skin contact with the eggs. Are you seeing evidence of this? If so, then she'll start sitting on the nest full time pretty soon. If you want to encourage broodiness, leave eggs in her favored nest. If you don't, collect eggs very often.
I wait for 3 days and 2 nights of full time setting before I give a hen the eggs I want her to hatch.
Good luck,
Dale-Ann

 

[Hambone]

Quote:
Yes she is missing feathers on her breast. So When I notice here sitting for an entire day or two I should move her to a cage by here self and put 4 or five eggs under her. And let her sit.

 

[DAFox]

If you move her, do it at night. I use a rubbermaid opaque tote with a hole cut on the side. If I have to, I attach that to a rabbit cage. My current broody is in a rubbermaid tote with a 3x3 piece of plywood on top held there with a patio block. The plywood gives a little insulation for cold nights, sheds rain so it doesn't get in, and overhangs in all directions to provide shade for sunny days. She is in my fenced garden, so for now no worries.
The first night, I blocked her in (not completely so she would have air).
Dale-Ann