Hen Broody But Only During The Daytime?

[Prince and Pavo]

Hello! I have a hen that seems to be broody. She sits on the nest for hours, and usually refuses to get up, even when other hens are trying to come in the same box to lay THEIR eggs. Not to mention that most of them are higher than her in the pecking order, and try to kick her out. She growls and screeches whenever I get close or reach my hand out by her. However, she still gets off the nest to eat whenever I feed them, and she sleeps up on the roosting bar, as if she was never broody at all! Then the next day she goes right back to sitting on the nest again! I rarely see her up, except for the morning and evening when I feed them. Why is she doing this? How can I make her stay on the nest through the night? I would love to have her hatch some more eggs, but if she’s not going to commit to it then I don’t want to waste the eggs.

 

[sourland]

Sounds as if she is pre broody. Are there 'nest eggs' in the nest box to encourage her to set? I would not give her fertile eggs until she has spent two nights in the nest.

 

[Prince and Pavo]

I can’t tell if she is laying or not, as I’m not sure what color she lays. She usually sits on a nest with one or two eggs, which I collect every night when she gets up. I have some golf balls I will try to use as faux eggs to see if she will set. I also have a broody box that I made of a cardboard box, with a waterproof trash bag around it so that if it rains she will stay dry. It’s dark and the golf balls are currently in there. She seems to have no interest in it, however.

 

[Nashelle]

I have a hen doing a similar thing. She sits on eggs for hours in the morning then gets off and joins the other hens for the afternoon and sleeps on the roost. I usually take the eggs away but last night I left them in the nest (there are eight eggs there). But now I'm not sure what to do. Do I leave the eggs there and let her sit on them when she feels like it or should I remove them? What's this hen (called Britney ) doing? We have a rooster and eight hens and would like to raise some chicks but I've given up being excited about the possibility becasue Britney is on and off the nest like a yo-yo.

 

[aart]

I have a hen doing a similar thing. She sits on eggs for hours in the morning then gets off and joins the other hens for the afternoon and sleeps on the roost. I usually take the eggs away but last night I left them in the nest (there are eight eggs there). But now I'm not sure what to do. Do I leave the eggs there and let her sit on them when she feels like it or should I remove them? What's this hen (called Britney ) doing? We have a rooster and eight hens and would like to raise some chicks but I've given up being excited about the possibility becasue Britney is on and off the nest like a yo-yo.

Some birds just like to lounge in the nests before and/or after laying.
Yes, collect eggs daily.

 

[Nashelle]

Can't take the eggs because they're still under the hen Yes she was back on the nest again before I got there.

 

[aart]

Can't take the eggs because they're still under the hen Yes she was back on the nest again before I got there.

Well, you could grab them from under her.

And if she's truly broody, best to wait a few days and nights before giving her fresh fertile eggs all at once to avoid having a staggered hatch.

 

[Prince and Pavo]

Hey, @Nashelle!

The hen I was talking about when I created this thread did end up going broody, and she started sitting on the eggs at night. I would suggest putting fake eggs (wood eggs, golf balls, etc.) under her until she ACTUALLY goes broody, and then after a couple nights you can replace them with really eggs. Make sure to make the switch at night though because she will be calmer and less likely to get off the nest early.

Also make sure that her nesting area is dark and secluded from the other hens so that they don’t kick her off the nest to lay their own eggs, or try to crowd in there with her.