Hen broody...leave her to sit?

[huntsman]

One hen has started spending her day on the latest egg.

Shall I leave her there or will this become a problem for future eggs?

 

[pgpoultry]

If you want chicks move her to a place where she will not get interference form the others. Check she is still setting in the new place and give her more fertile eggs to hatch.

If you don't want chicks follow one of the many threads on breaking broodiness on BYC,

Good Luck,

Sandie

 

[huntsman]

Thanks Sandie

Will she return to laying duties when she is done or will she remain a brood hen?

 

[chickenboy21]

a brooding period usually only lasts 6 weeks or so and after that she should resume laying eggs... to break broodiness take the hen and put her i cage with food and water for a day or two so that she has no place to nest. goodluck

 

[huntsman]

Thanks, mate!

Man I love chickens!





.....no no, not like that!

 

[huntsman]

Just decided that since Spring is nearly sprung, I will leave the hen on the egg and add three more since I've never had a newborn. I don't really have anywhere to put the broody hen away from the others...will they perhaps damage the eggs?

Also, if I separate her somehow (Add a sharktank to the run, perhaps) will she be separated until such time as the eggs are hatched? Including at night?

Thanks for your time...

 

[damselfish]

Unfortunately the answer is: it depends.

Some people have good luck leaving the broody hen in the main coop, others isolate her.
Some people find that their adult chickens attack the new chicks, others don't.
Some people's other hens try to lay their eggs in with the broody, others don't.

I have my first broody and I'm having some fertile eggs sent for arrival tomorrow or next day, so I'm in your same boat.

I'm not planning to isolate her or the chicks. If she puffs up and hisses at the other chickens the way she's doing it to me right now, she will scare the bejeebers out of them anyway, and none will dare to touch her chicks.

Do mark the fertile eggs you put in with a crayon or something. Then you'll be able to pull out any "extras" that mysteriously show up from other hens.

Good luck.

And what the heck is a shark cage? I know there's big sharks in South Africa and all...

 

[huntsman]

Heh heh!

Thanks damsel -

A shark tank is a smaller tank placed within a larger one where the contents of the smaller one are protected from the contents of the large one. (saves on space)