only a newby watching two broody hens, but seems they go into kind of an altered state; focused inwardly, almost don't even blink ... don't eat, don't drink, don't get up to poo except maybe the first three days ... almostlooks like they are hibernating except they are fluffed out and WARM
They sit for long periods of time and get up occasionally. Are the eggs fertile? Cuz if they never hatch, some hens will try and sit forever and they can die
Broody hens usually will get off the nest at least once per day to eat and drink and take a MASSIVE poop. Many folks will place food and water near the hen so she can get to it easily while on the nest. Hens will lose a lot of weight sometimes if they go super-broody and won't leave the nest often enough to get adequate food, etc.
Quote:good advice, they do not stay on the nest for 21 days as after a week, they'd be DEAD. Gotta have water/food.
I put food and water in front of my broody hen, but there was never a sign that she had taken any, and she was eliminating right in (or right behind) her nest ... quite a mess to clean up after the chicks hatched ... I saw her off the nest on only days 1, 2, and 3 ... never thereafter but then, she was protecting herself and chicks from feral cats roaming around ... not necessarily the case with better-protected hens