Just curious how many of you...

[PortageGirl]

Leave it all to mama.

 

[DTchickens]

chickensducks&agoose :

Our B.O. Esther went broody on Thanksgiving, in vermont, and hatched out her only baby on X-mas. I took her off every day, and replaced her with a HOT, half filled milk jug, with some water squashed out, so it was softish, and more shaped to fit over the eggs. That way I didn't worry that they were going to be cold. I'd keep her locked away from the eggs for like 30 minutes, to make sure she ate and drank enough.. It was a serious pain in the butt, but I was glad to see the chick when it was all over.

The HOT water could possibly have threw off the incubation for the others to make it depending on how hot the water was..​

 

[speckledhen]

Yes, due to my first experience with a broody who did almost die. We had to institute emergency measures to keep her alive by the end of 21 days. Tried all that time to break her of it since we had no rooster. Her head was twitching and turning up like the stargazing ailment you see in Silkies sometimes and she could not walk anymore. Every first time broody gets taken off the nest and fed and watered. The ones who are multiple time broodies usually take care of themselves just fine.

 

[koifarm]

Over the years I've had several broody hens and have hatched many chicks with them.
The main thing is leave food and water within her reach and preferably screen her off from the other hens....I have a special nest box I made that has plenty of room, places for feed and water and the door is screened off.
She will get up usually once a day to poop, drink and maybe nibble a little corn or scratch feed.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

I had to vote "other" since I take mine off to break their broodiness.

 

[Southernbelle]

I just let the Silkies handle it. Everyone gets so excited when I come down with the scrap bucket, it was usually enough to get the broodies out of their trance and off the nest.

I never put the food/water right next to the nest, once they start to eat, they lay that disgusting broody poo wherever they're standing.

So, if they don't get off the nest to eat, they poop right in the nest.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Robin'sBrood :

I had to vote "other" since I take mine off to break their broodiness.

I've tried, and never had any luck, so now I just figure I'll let them do what they want. They always seem to lose some of their chicks anyway (right now that is), so I don't have that many. Now next year, once I have my coop finished, they'll be in pens, so I'll have to take drastic measures then!

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

Quote:
I made it a bit hotter than my body temp, since the chicken belly always felt hot to me. The eggs were refrigerator eggs, and I didn't really expect/want them to hatch, but I wanted Esther to feel that she had a real chance. i was very surprised to find a tiny chick on x-mas!

 

[Chickenaddict]

If the hens are setting oput in the coop over the summer months then I leave them be, they get off the nest 1-2 times a day to eat/dust bathe/ poo on their own. If i am hatching over winter using a broody hen in the house then yes I take her off the nest only to do her pooping so I can wrap it up and flush quick lol.