newbie broody question - introducing day old chicks

[8littlechickens]

My Welsummer's been broody for probably going on 2 months now. At first I had to kick her off the nest a couple times a day (we don't have fertile eggs, so she was wasting her time), but then after a few weeks she started leaving her chosen nest box and roaming around with the others of her own volition, so I thought maybe she was finally snapping out of it. But she still prefers to sit on the nest, is still acting strangely and looking more and more scraggly. So I'm thinking for her sake it might be best to intervene. We're considering getting some new chickens anyway, so what I'm wondering is if we got some fertile eggs for her to sit on and hatch, once they hatched, would she be able to move on and either raise them herself, or at least have something click that she's accomplished her task and get back to normal? Worth a shot at least?

And, is it harmful for hens to remain broody for so long?

 

[gryeyes]

It's not good to be broody that long.... if she's already gone THAT long, I think the best thing to do would be put day old chicks under her, at night, for her to discover in the morning. I know that sounds stupid, but it does work for many broody hens!

If you put fertile eggs under her, there's still 21 days for her continue to be broody... and she'd be getting weaker all that time.

Other folks may chime in here with more advice.

 

[Bat Cave Silkies]

I have no experience with the Welsummer breed, since I raise Silkies--but they go broody all of the time. I've read ALL the threads regarding breaking a broody, but NONE of the suggestions have ever worked for my girls. Mine will sit for months, waiting for something to hatch....they do decline in condition, but I've never had one die from the decline. Since I isolate the broody, I'm able to supplement her usual feed with treats like chopped boiled eggs, rice with vitamins added, etc., to slow down or prevent her physical decline.

The only way I've found to stop a broody is for her to find chicks under her. You could buy day old chicks and sneak them under her at night; or buy fertile eggs to put under her.

Good luck.

 

[8littlechickens]

Ok, so that's good, sounds like day old chicks would be a viable way to go, then. Bad timing here in OH, though with them maturing in the winter...

Oh well. Any tips for sneaking them in? Does she need to be asleep? Should I somehow separate her out of or within the big coop?

So then the next question would be, if I slip some day old chicks in there, is it safe to leave them in the coop with all the big birds, or do I need to then take them back out at some point (when?) for the chicks' safety? And can they be any breed, or do they have to be Welsummers?

 

[8littlechickens]

Bumping it up, hoping for more tips!