How long can a hen sit?

[chickenwhat]

I have a hen named Fancy, She really belongs to my uncle but she will not get off the eggs,so we put her in with my chickens. They should start laying any day. well she hatched her first
chicks and i took them in the house. so she layed more and hatched those now i have 6 babies, I let her keep them with her. she has sat for 42 days. every day i have to make her get out to eat . I am going to keep her because she needs to recoop! my uncles roo loved that hen because she has no feathers but the down feathers. she is already trying to set again. what do i doe

 

[MareeZoCool]

I think that hen will set as long as she has an egg in her nest.

I would personally try removing that nest, and replace it with a fresh clump of baled straw. Be sure to offer more than one nesting area, so she gets the hint.

good luck, & happy chickenz to you!

 

[puredelite]

I have one hen that has been on the nest for approx. two mos. now. She hops off to eat and get a drink then back in the nest box. Eggs are due to hatch next week and I may "shut 'er down" after that to recoup. Some hens will just set indefinately. I had a friend that would use a Muscovy duck hen to hatch peafowl eggs and she would hatch eggs all summer long. Just make sure your little hen is not getting too thin.