Is this normal for broody hens to do!?

[Chicken_Crazy0810]

Hello, im new to byc and i hope you all can help!! My barred rock hen just went broody. I currently have 2 broodies, one buff, and her. She gets up off her nest all the time! It gets in the high 80's here. Idk how much she gets up but she does 3-4 times a day for about 30 minutes to an hour. I feel the eggs and everytime i do they still feel quite warm! I really hope she has a successful hatch! I put her on her nest every now and then. The buff is perfectly fine. She gets off once a day for about 15 mins. Some feedback quickly would help!!! Thanks!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would call her an unreliable broody. Some hens just want to set and don't care about eggs or chicks. Watch her if anything hatches, she may or may not take care of them, and some will attack them.

 

[Chicken_Crazy0810]

I would call her an unreliable broody. Some hens just want to set and don't care about eggs or chicks. Watch her if anything hatches, she may or may not take care of them, and some will attack them.

Thank you!!

 

[bobbi-j]

With as warm as it's getting, I doubt the eggs are cooling down that fast, but I agree with Oldhen. Keep an eye on her if she hatches anything. She could pleasantly surprise you.

 

[Chicken_Crazy0810]

With as warm as it's getting, I doubt the eggs are cooling down that fast, but I agree with Oldhen. Keep an eye on her if she hatches anything. She could pleasantly surprise you.

Thanks a ton! Do you think that i can help her at all or just let her do it?

 

[bobbi-j]

Thanks a ton! Do you think that i can help her at all or just let her do it?

I might be the wrong person to ask. I am very hands-off with my broodies. I trust them to get off the nest, eat, drink and poop without my interference. I let their eggs hatch as they will, and don't try to rescue the unhatched ones when she leaves the nest. (My theory is, if they weren't strong enough to hatch in the first place, they are likely not to thrive - survival of the fittest) I figure chickens have been successfully hatching more chicken for centuries without human intervention. If they were incapable, they'd have been instinct long ago.

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

Being broody is a natural instinct, prevalent in some breeds rather than others. You could take all the eggs and they will still brood.