Move brooding hen before or after hatch day?

[Lelilamom]

I just checked on mama hen and she's still faithfully sitting on those two eggs. I took them from her and placed them in front of the nest and she tucked them back underneath her. I'd like to think she knows something the rest of us don't, but it's been 23 days. I'm certain the eggs aren't going to hatch. Poor mama. Do chickens suffer from wishful thinking just like us?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I just checked on mama hen and she's still faithfully sitting on those two eggs. I took them from her and placed them in front of the nest and she tucked them back underneath her. I'd like to think she knows something the rest of us don't, but it's been 23 days. I'm certain the eggs aren't going to hatch. Poor mama. Do chickens suffer from wishful thinking just like us?

Being broody is a strong instinct that won't stop until they successfully hatch, you break them or they become too weak and depleted. She will sit on nothing.

I have seen chickens become depressed after losing friends and chicks. At this point I would remove the eggs and block the nest to get her to move on.

 

[Lelilamom]

At this point I would remove the eggs and block the nest to get her to move on.

I forgot to post the outcome. I removed the eggs on the evening of the 23rd day and mama hen flew up onto the roosting bar. She never returned to the nest. I discarded the eggs immediately.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sounds like she was relieved to be done.

 

[WVduckchick]

I forgot to post the outcome. I removed the eggs on the evening of the 23rd day and mama hen flew up onto the roosting bar. She never returned to the nest. I discarded the eggs immediately.

Oh wow, sounds like you got lucky. I have a broody that would not give up. I finally gave her 5 eggs. She broke one last week, i put it in the incubator, but it quit. Today i found one fully broken open, busted all over the others, and one dented one. I brought them inside, cleaned out the nest box and gave her 3 new eggs. Washed the nasty off the good ones, candled the dented one and it's still alive so i taped it and put the 3 in the incubator. I'll swap them out with todays eggs under the hen, when they get close to hatch time, and let her actually do the hatching. They are currently on day 12.

She's a really good momma, i think she is breaking them getting in and out of the box during her daily outings.