need help with broody hen!

[gryeyes]

My broody Welsummer hatched at least 2 chicks from 4 eggs, yesterday (can't quite check right now - first day she was SUPER fierce about CHICKS versus eggs) and I never, ever saw her off the nest. HOWEVER, I'm not home during the day on weekdays as I work. I did see evidence that she'd gotten out to poop.... ick! So at least she had to be eating if she was pooping the broody poop!

Hope that helps some... she might sneak out when you aren't looking? It's just a quick dash for some broody hens.

I saw my first broody, a BO, off the nest for about 45 minutes every few days, but she was brooding when it was during an extreme hot spell.

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
Yeah, don`t force her, just leave her alone. When you get her moved to the dog crate, you`ll be able to see the evidence when she gets off. Move her at night, in the dark, so as to stress her as little as possible.........Pop

 

[Ridgerunner]

I had a broody in the heat of this past summer. It was hot. She spent a lot of time off the nest. I have another broody that just hatched her chicks. It was pretty chilly while she was brooding. She spent almost all her time on the nest. I did not actually see her off the nest at all during the first two weeks, but she was obviously eating, drinking, and taking care of personal business.

I agree you need to lock this one up with enough room for a nest, food, water, and room to eliminate but not much else. Don't give her the option to leave the nest behind. I've let hens hatch with the flock and not had your problem, but each hen has her own personality. The same answer is not always right for all of us. Different circumstances require different answers.

As far as her having too many eggs, if she can cover them all at the same time then she does not have too many. If she cannot cover them all and keep them all warm at the same time, she has too many. Hens and eggs both come in different sizes so I cannot give you a magic number of how many is safe with your specific silkie. If an egg is pushed out, it will cool off and die. Then it gets moved back under her and another egg gets pushed out and dies. You usually don't get good hatches if she has too many eggs.

Good luck!

 

[stumble_n_mumble]

alright so i just candled.... it is night of day 5..... and the eggs just look really porous..... i herd that they are not fertile or going to hatch? is that true? how long she i wait before i chuck them??

 

[Southernbelle]

Quote:
Day 5 is a little early, especially if the eggs are porous, it might be hard to see those tiny veins. I usually wait until 7-10 days before calling it. I've had plenty of porous eggs hatch, so that wouldn't worry me.

 

[stumble_n_mumble]

ok! thanks!!

what makes eggs porous?!