How long can you keep a broody broody

[RebelsHope]

I have a broody that is just about done hatching out the chicks under her. I have taken the chicks away and am raising them in a brooder. It is okay to put new eggs under her? Or should I give her a break and let her go back to just being a chicken?

 

[IggiMom]

Why not let her babysit for you?

In any event, you can't use her for a broody again, as she will probably stop being broody pretty soon.

They stay broody for long enough to hatch out chicks, and then generally stop, maybe not right away, but probably won't remain broody for long enough to hatch out more.

Catherine

 

[DANNY]

I have had them set for 4 months. They don't have a calender.

 

[texaschickmama]

I've had one sitting now for well, two hatches. I won't let her go longer than two hatches. Make sure to bring water and food to her.

 

[RebelsHope]

I have not let her baby sit because she had only one chick, and I found it wandering way away from her. So I brought it in and waited for the other eggs to hatch, but I had nothing for three days so I contacted a breeder around here and picked up some two polish and a GLW banty and put them in with the lone chick. Then last night I was going to throw out the last of the eggs and pull out the nest and when I picked her up, there was another chick.

Well now she still has two eggs, and I am going to let her sit on those a few more days and see what happens. She is in with a rooster and some goats and I am afraid of what they would do to the little chicks. So long story, that is why I pulled them

I maybe able to move her to a new pen I am making but have not yet.

 

[walkswithdog]

Brooding weakens them. I try to stop it after one normal broody period because with some birds, prolonging it will result in weakness or death.

I break a broody by leaving her some chicks I don't care about or the ones they hatched, depending on my goals for the group hatched.

 

[enola]

When my hens go broody, I put a clutch of eggs under them. Wait 16 to 18 days and remove those eggs, then place another clutch of eggs under her and allow her to hatch these eggs. I leave the chicks with her for 2-3 weeks, remove the chicks and put her back with her chicks.

This will only work with a broody that you trust to stay broody. I do not do this with first time broodies.

 

[DANNY]

Extra broodie time will not kill them if they are strong birds to begin with. I have been using hens to hatch up to 4 clutches of peafowl eggs for 25 years and never had one die on the nest. As long as you keep them mite free and plenty of food and water they will be fine. I often take them off the nest and sit them down every couple days so they will get in extra eating time.

 

[TicketyBoo]

I have a dish of fresh water and food in the box with my broody, I'm not sure how being broody would stress her if she doesn't have to worry about feed and water. Is it the lack of exercise? She has only gotten off the nest once since she went broody and not at all since I put the fertilized eggs under...

 

[RebelsHope]

Thanks, I think I will just let her go back to being a chicken again for right now. I need to save up for an actually incubator.