Is my almost hen broody? When will the eggs hatch?

[Farmgirl283420]

Hello early Merry Christmas! My pullet that will be a hen in February started sitting in a nest box the night of the 23rd of December. She hasn’t gotten up since. The other day I did find a clutch of 7 eggs in a different nest box that she had been laying in every morning. I took them not thinking she would be going broody. She’s now in a different nest box. Does it sound like she’s going broody? She ate a little egg I gave her as a treat but wouldn’t eat the little green clovers I found her. When would the eggs hatch would I start counting down from yesterday?

 

[Farmgirl283420]

@fluffycrow @GirlsHuntToo

 

[NatJ]

When would the eggs hatch would I start counting down from yesterday?

You count from the day she first starts actually sitting on them.

The first day she is sitting is 0 (because the eggs have not yet had a whole day of being sat on.)
The next day is 1 (because now the eggs have been incubated for 1 day)
Hatch day should* be day 21, which is three weeks from when she stated, the same day of the week as day 0 (the day that she started sitting.)

When someone finds a setting hen but doesn't know what day she started, it comes down to guessing (and candling can sometimes help figure it out, by seeing how developed they are.) But if you know exactly what day she started, then you should be able to accurately predict when they will hatch.

*Hatch day "should" be day 21, but can actually be a day or two early or late.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

You count from the day she first starts actually sitting on them.

The first day she is sitting is 0 (because the eggs have not yet had a whole day of being sat on.)
The next day is 1 (because now the eggs have been incubated for 1 day)
Hatch day should* be day 21, which is three weeks from when she stated, the same day of the week as day 0 (the day that she started sitting.)

When someone finds a setting hen but doesn't know what day she started, it comes down to guessing (and candling can sometimes help figure it out, by seeing how developed they are.) But if you know exactly what day she started, then you should be able to accurately predict when they will hatch.

*Hatch day "should" be day 21, but can actually be a day or two early or late.

Thanks! So it looks like Hope a hen who has a hard peck kicked her off. She went to a nest box two down and is still just sitting there. It looks like she only had one egg under her so I’m not sure. Do you think she is broody?

 

[NatJ]

Thanks! So it looks like Hope a hen who has a hard peck kicked her off. She went to a nest box two down and is still just sitting there. It looks like she only had one egg under her so I’m not sure. Do you think she is broody?

She might be broody. If the other hens are able to chase her off the nest, that will make it hard for her to actually incubate any eggs.

If you want her to hatch eggs, you might try confining her with just one nest, where the other hens cannot get to her. That will also keep them from adding eggs to her nest (if they add eggs later, those eggs will hatch later, and then you have the problem of early-hatched chicks that need the hen to lead them to food and water, but later eggs that are not yet hatched and will die if abandoned. Having all the eggs start at the same time can avoid that.)

If you make a pen around the nest she chose, she will probably be happy to keep sitting.
If you move her to another pen, she might keep sitting or she might not. Different hens act differently. Some hens will settle in and sit in a new place, some others fuss for a while and then sit, and some hens will pace back and forth for days (and eventually break their own broodiness.)

 

[fluffycrow]

And make sure she is getting up to eat, drink, and stretch her legs. That is also a very important part of brooding. A poorly female does not serve anyone any good

 

[Farmgirl283420]

And make sure she is getting up to eat, drink, and stretch her legs. That is also a very important part of brooding. A poorly female does not serve anyone any good

Thanks so much! I know or knew nothing about this! How can I encourage her to do this? Should I give her her own food and water dish?

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Also it appears she is molting I think. Is this bad?

 

[fluffycrow]

Thanks so much! I know or knew nothing about this! How can I encourage her to do this? Should I give her her own food and water dish?

Not really. Observe her without stressing her out. If you haven't seen her getting up at all for quite a few days, I'd pick her up and place her right next to the food. Don't give her food and water in the nest. It will encourage her to remain sitting constantly, and it's not good for her to be completely inactive for 21 days. She needs to get up and stretch a little

 

[fluffycrow]

Also it appears she is molting I think. Is this bad?

Females go through a molt after brooding. Mine started about a month after hatching their babies. I have no experience outside of that, however