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

[GirlsHuntToo]

I would count down from the day she started setting on them and keep counting until 21 days later because that's when they would have started incubating.
Hopefully all your chicks hatch safely.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

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

Ok thanks.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

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

That’s still good to know! She is a frizzle if she is molting and being a frizzle will she be able to keep her babies warm? This a picture of her some months ago.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

I would count down from the day she started setting on them and keep counting until 21 days later because that's when they would have started incubating.
Hopefully all your chicks hatch safely.

Thanks! If she is indeed broody!

 

[fluffycrow]

That’s still good to know! She is a frizzle if she is molting and being a frizzle will she be able to keep her babies warm? This a picture of her some months ago.View attachment 3711552

I don't think it'll be much of a problem. Very heavy molters face some difficulty with stabilising their temperature

 

[NatJ]

How can I encourage her to do this? Should I give her her own food and water dish?

If you shut her into a pen by herself, yes give her a food and water dish inside that pen.

If she stays in the pen with the rest of the flock, she can help herself from the usual feeder and waterer.

Broody hens prefer to eat and drink when no-one is watching, but you can gently feel her crop. If it has food in it, she did eat that day. (And if she ate, she also got off the nest to stretch her legs, and she probably drank and pooped as well.) I have found morning to be a good time to check the crop-- it seems that quite a few broodies will eat first thing in the morning (although of course individual hens may do different things.)

Broody hens do not eat as much as other hens, because they are not laying eggs or running around using a lot of energy. So as long as she is eating, I would not worry about how much she is eating.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

If you shut her into a pen by herself, yes give her a food and water dish inside that pen.

If she stays in the pen with the rest of the flock, she can help herself from the usual feeder and waterer.

Broody hens prefer to eat and drink when no-one is watching, but you can gently feel her crop. If it has food in it, she did eat that day. (And if she ate, she also got off the nest to stretch her legs, and she probably drank and pooped as well.) I have found morning to be a good time to check the crop-- it seems that quite a few broodies will eat first thing in the morning (although of course individual hens may do different things.)

Broody hens do not eat as much as other hens, because they are not laying eggs or running around using a lot of energy. So as long as she is eating, I would not worry about how much she is eating.

Ok thanks she is still on the nest! Guess it will be night two! Thanks for all your help!

 

[Farmgirl283420]

She moved to a different nest and has stayed there all day! She tucked a random egg under her that rolled out and one that I put before her. She got up this morning to come out and eat then went back on and is still in there. This is so exciting! I didn’t think she would go broody until spring. I just started having problems with one of my roosters and it got me thinking she’s probably gonna have a few boys. Good news is though it’s super hard to give any of my loved boys away I do have a good home they can go to.

 

[fluffycrow]

She went to a different nest, with new eggs, so the counting starts from zero again. It's good that she comes out to eat. Now keep an eye on her, because she cannot continue to switch nests. She might be getting kicked out

 

[Farmgirl283420]

She went to a different nest, with new eggs, so the counting starts from zero again. It's good that she comes out to eat. Now keep an eye on her, because she cannot continue to switch nests. She might be getting kicked out

Yeah I’m guessing as much need to build or get something to make a fence around her what do you suggest?

This is what my nest boxes look like there are ten.