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itsy,
broody hens are cool and a PIA. My first broody would have died if I hadn't delivered water and food to her, in the nest, the last 4 days....she was sooo weak when the chicks hatched she didn't mother them very well. It was warm out, fortunately and they survived to adulthood....still no clue *what* they are, since I didn't personally obtain the eggs...a third party did the trade for me....But I got 3 live chicks from 4 eggs and 2 hens out of it. My second broody (a silkie) got up, ate, pooped and went back to her eggs on the floor after an hour or so. I got worried cuz it was colder and the eggs seemed to get cool, however she knew what she was doing and 2 of the 4 hatched. (Third one would have if I had had patience, cooling slowed the incubation down). I suspect that the one surviving chick is male, but whatever....he'll taste good if he is a roo.
I am hoping for three broodies in the spring. I want to hatch some of my own eggs under 2 of them and some Sumantra eggs (from Stonykill) under the third. My nerves were shot waiting for broodies to hatch their clutch, I can not imagine having an incubator in the house. I probably wouldn't sleep for the last week.
IF you think you have a broody, let her sit on golf balls for a few days before you put in eggs. I have had hens quit on me about day 5....once due to other hens harrassing her (I fixed that problem) and the other time the hen was lifted off the nest by 2 rowdy girls and never went back....just didn't enjoy being moved, so she left and didn't climb back in. Lesson learned and I now have a small coop that the broodies can have all to themselves with no one allowed in, except me.