Is this true?

[ClareScifi]

My S.O. suggested squirting the water hose, but I worry that if it didn't work, then she'd be in a dank, damp place, and that might be harmful to her health? Do you think it would work? Might be worth a try, if it would mean sparing her life?

I love her too much to give her away. That is a nice thought, but I don't think her sister could bear being parted from her. They were raised together as little chicks, inside my home. The neighbor has offered to take her away to camp, but there are cougars, coyotes, bears, raccoons, eagles, hawks, and other predators there, and she is a free-range girl.

He has also offered to bring a rooster down. I think that might be the solution. I worry that our cats would get the little chicks, though. My S.O. was in the process of turning our greenhouse into a run for the chickens, where they could be confined. He hates their poop on our sidewalk, which doesn't bother me at all. But he didn't get it done in time. He finished their new coop, and almost had the run done, when the Chicken suddenly went Broody under the house. Two more days, and he would have had the run done, but he always has "more important" things to do than help the chickens out. They are low on his priority list.

 

[ClareScifi]

Thanks for your interesting post, Ngamtnman.

So, did your broody girl hatch any of those eggs she sat on for 25 days plus 10?

Since my girl doesn't seem to be coming out for food and water, I wonder whether I should try squirting her with a water hose tomorrow? It is supposed to be cooler, though, in the lower 60s. She might catch a cold, but that might be better than dying. I just am not sure how best to proceed.

Guess I'll try the sliced strawberries first, and if that doesn't work, move on to Plan B.

At least I can get some sleep now, knowing she wasn't carried off by a raccoon last night, but I'll probably dream that a skunk kills her.

Oh, I'm not cut out for this. LOL

There is a reason I had no children. :>)

 

[BarkerChickens]

Uhh....I've never lost a hen to brooding. I am sure it is possible, but my hens give up after several weeks of trying. I also take their eggs from the nest (which I understand isn't an option for you with a hen under the house). A way to break a broody that I have read is put her in a kennel/cage with a wire bottom (like a rabbit hutch). After a few days of that, she won't like it. We have stuck ours in the dog kennel (plastic bottom) and it worked after 3 days or so. But, I found that taking their eggs, they will give up after a month or so. I have a couple that will sit for 6 weeks or so, but none that have ever appeared sick, let along dying.

 

[ngamtnman]

Quote:
No, the first she set on for 25 days and I think the other hens bothered her too much and may have ran her off her eggs some when I wasn't around. So I let her have two more eggs since the rest of the flock was in the new coop by then and she could be in peace, now, in the old coop. However, after 10 days I found her in the nest box to the left of her with no eggs and the two I had given her were uncovered and cold. So I decided to break her broodiness after that.

After 35 days of it, she was still in good health. You could tell she had lost a little weight but overall was doing good.

I didn't encourage her any to come off her nest, she did it on her on. I just trusted her and I never saw her off her nest but there was always a fresh pile of broody poo every day or two.

 

[equinelyn]

Can't you just take the egg away. And then she won't be broody anymore? Just curious I know nothing of broody hens lol

 

[ClareScifi]

No, I can't just take the eggs away from her. I wish I could. She is under the house, and I can't get to her. It is driving me crazy with worry. She hasn't come out once. I am so afraid she will starve to death.

I thought about trying to take a water hose to her, but if it didn't work, she'd be under the dark, dank house and could catch a chill, which wouldn't be good.

It is just hopeless. I do see her feet and beak by the crack from time to time, but she doesn't stay off the nest long.

I tried leaving the food away from the crack to try to coax her out, but she won't come, and I'm so worried she'll starve or get constipated and die. Especially since the eggs are unfertilized and won't be hatching, and she's a stubborn, determined girl.