How long will a hen stay broody?

[McGoo]

I've got 2 hens that are not great at sittin on their eggs... and the eggs are way beyond hatching time. How long will they wait? a month? more? What's the down side with them keeping on the eggs... I guess they aren't getting as much nutrition.

any ideas here? I really don't want to put them in a crate... they love the free range.

thanks for any advice.

 

[pgpoultry]

Every hen is different, some will stay broody for months on end.

i would not let my hens s go broody again right after a hatch as they lose too much weight and condition in the process.

If eggs are not hatching under a broody and conditions are otherwise right for the eggs to be fertile (rooster present etc !), then it suggests that they are not truly broody and their hormone levels are not quite high enough. If a hen sits on eggs overnight, squawks loudly when disturbed (or pecks) and has a bald chest/belly she is likely to go through to hatching eggs provided she is not constantly disturbed, attacked etc.

Sandie