how long will broody sit???

[sandracollins]

I have a buff orpington who is already sitting for 3 weeks on nothing ,a friend gave me 10 eggs and I put them under her yesterday and I am wondering will she sit long enough to hatch them ,anyone do this before ,what success?

 

[FireTigeris]

Maybe- I had one broody for three months- or she might quit on day 17 of the eggs

 

[Judy]

I had one broody for longer than that on nothing, then gave her some eggs and she set on them til they hatched and was a wonderful mother.

Broodies will do what they do. You won't know til you try. Good luck!

 

[FireTigeris]

I'd have a back up incubator in case if I could.

 

[sandracollins]

Havent got an incubator but do have another broody that has only been sitting for a week she has two eggs under but they are not fertile ,I am hoping that one of them will sit for next 3 weeks but the second broody is a little pekin cross and the other hend keep pushing her out of the nest box and then I find her in a different one!!!!

 

[Ken F]

I had two pullets go broody in late October. After 3 weeks of trying to "break" them, I finally gave one of them eggs to sit on. Three weeks later, four chicks hatched and she has been a great mother for the past five weeks. The other hen finally got off her empty nest box when the chicks hatched and has been laying eggs again ever since.

Good luck. It's a lot of fun.

 

[FireTigeris]

Quote:
I wonder if chicks are the magic cure...

 

[sandracollins]

I went out this afternoon and she had moved to the next nestbox don't know how long she was there but the eggs felt quite cold do you think they will still hatch she is back on them and we were on day three

 

[FireTigeris]

Quote:
should be ok

 

[chknmomma]

My hen was broody for 2 weeks before I put some eggs under her. She's now on day 11. Hopefully, we will make the full go of it.

Can you put your hen in a separate pen or broody cage or some place where she won't get confused about which nest? I understand that can happen. I took mine out of the coop and made a special broody home (ie, prison). I think it helps her concentrate

Good luck!