If a hen is broody.....

[ScoobyRoo]

Will she lay on the nest all night or go to roost with the other hens? She is a RIR. We have not had that experience yet. Just need to be educated. Thanks

 

[Mrs MIA]

If she is broody, she will not leave the nest except to eat, drink, and relieve herself. If she roosted at night, the eggs would get cold.

 

[bluey]

She'll lay on the nest all day and all night and will only sneak off for a few minutes here and there to eat and drink. There have been a few cases of hens starving themselves on the nest unfortunately. Broodies usually mean business.

 

[ScoobyRoo]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

If she is broody, she will not leave the nest except to eat, drink, and relieve herself. If she roosted at night, the eggs would get cold.

Duh, I feel like a DA. That does make sense. Just never really spied on them in the middle of the night before to see what they really do.

I think she is off the nest now, false alarm.​

 

[Mrs MIA]

You'll know when she's broody... she'll scream at you if you come near her, and if you take her off the nest she'll just settle in where ever you put her down. Sometimes you have to physically push a broody around until she gets up and eats and drinks. Others will see you coming and will quickly hop off to eat, drink, and poop an enormous stinky poo, then quickly get back on the nest.

 

[lichick28]

A friend had several broody hens die on the nest. I dont have a rooster so I get them up and make them move around alittle bit. After a few days they snap out of it

 

[swtangel321]

Another thing to keep in mind, RIR's arent a known broody breed so she might never sit on eggs !!!

 

[AK_Button_Mama]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

You'll know when she's broody... she'll scream at you if you come near her, and if you take her off the nest she'll just settle in where ever you put her down. Sometimes you have to physically push a broody around until she gets up and eats and drinks. Others will see you coming and will quickly hop off to eat, drink, and poop an enormous stinky poo, then quickly get back on the nest.

this is so what polly does.. she jsut settles back down but I nudge her around a little bit and she will eat....drink then hop back on her eggs I gave her.... I plan on taking them back in about 2 weeks (or should I let her raise them? would that be cruel to take them away from her? do mommie chickens take good care of thier babies? keep them warm.... if she keeps them will I have to provide a warming light?)​

 

[swtangel321]

Let her raise them, she knows how to raise them 100 times better than we do !! plus after sitting for 21 days and hatching them out it would be nice to let her raise them !!!

It's soooo much easier to let a broody raise chicks !! All you gotta do is make sure there is chick food and water near by !!

ETA: You dont have to keep a light on them, mama will keep them warm. but you could add a light for a little heat if it makes you feel better !!

 

[congdon476]

Can one forgo an incubator if they have a broody hen? Say I order some eggs when I notice a broody hen. Can you "sneak" the new eggs in for the old, non fert. ones and have her hatch and raise them?