Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[bobbieschicks]

My broody hen was given 5 eggs 3 days ago and she is doing wonderful! We took her off her nest yesterday to eat drink and poop, and again today both times for less then ten minutes, is this safe? We worry with her not eating any food or drinking she will get sick. She has never had fertile eggs before, but when she became broody weeks ago we decided to allow her to have a family because she is so broody and it's almost impossible to breah her from it. so we bought fertile eggs from a sweet family put ten under her and She is so happy sitting, she is determined and I would hate for us to harm this in any way. We put her in a Broody box because the other chickens also lay in the same nest, were bothering her. We set up the separate hutch and put it on the front porch since its cold out still and the hutch has an open end. She is loving the privacy, and refuses to get off those eggs even to drink water. That's why we lifted her off for food and water. Is this ok to do or should we just leave her alone. WhT out taking her out, she will not eat or drink even though there is food in the hutch with her. Once we take her out side she drinks and eats really well, gives the big poop and we then take her and set her ack on her eggs.

It's okay to do that until day 18 when you want to leave her alone as much as possible. But you don't have to. If you provide food and water she will eat and drink when she needs to. I hand fed Smokey treats at times. Keep us posted!

 

[karlamaria]

My broody hen was given 5 eggs 3 days ago and she is doing wonderful! We took her off her nest yesterday to eat drink and poop, and again today both times for less then ten minutes, is this safe? We worry with her not eating any food or drinking she will get sick. She has never had fertile eggs before, but when she became broody weeks ago we decided to allow her to have a family because she is so broody and it's almost impossible to breah her from it. so we bought fertile eggs from a sweet family put ten under her and She is so happy sitting, she is determined and I would hate for us to harm this in any way. We put her in a Broody box because the other chickens also lay in the same nest, were bothering her. We set up the separate hutch and put it on the front porch since its cold out still and the hutch has an open end. She is loving the privacy, and refuses to get off those eggs even to drink water. That's why we lifted her off for food and water. Is this ok to do or should we just leave her alone. WhT out taking her out, she will not eat or drink even though there is food in the hutch with her. Once we take her out side she drinks and eats really well, gives the big poop and we then take her and set her ack on her eggs.

It's okay to do that until day 18 when you want to leave her alone as much as possible. But you don't have to. If you provide food and water she will eat and drink when she needs to. I hand fed Smokey treats at times. Keep us posted!

Thank you, I tried to hand feed her, but she would have none of it. So we had to take er out side. She is such a good mommy, she will set forever lol.

 

[PoppiesChicks]

Today my hen and the chicks she hatched we're killed along with 16 other chickens. My kids are the most upset about Cupcake our blue maran. She hatched 4 chicks a couple of weeks ago. I can't find their bodies so I'm assuming whatever it was drug them off. I have another broody sitting on eggs so I'm hoping they hatch soon. I will sefinity keep them locked up now.

 

[DirtCreature]

Today my hen and the chicks she hatched we're killed along with 16 other chickens. My kids are the most upset about Cupcake our blue maran. She hatched 4 chicks a couple of weeks ago. I can't find their bodies so I'm assuming whatever it was drug them off. I have another broody sitting on eggs so I'm hoping they hatch soon. I will sefinity keep them locked up now.

OH NO! im am so sorry. i have lot a whole flock. last year actually.

 

[tojasholgy]

Our orpington was sitting on her eggs for five days, but on the following day she was not sitting on the nest and when we inspected the eggs and touch them they were cold. She is back sitting on them again patiently for eight days. Will there be any problem for those eggs?

 

[bobbieschicks]

Today my hen and the chicks she hatched we're killed along with 16 other chickens. My kids are the most upset about Cupcake our blue maran. She hatched 4 chicks a couple of weeks ago. I can't find their bodies so I'm assuming whatever it was drug them off. I have another broody sitting on eggs so I'm hoping they hatch soon. I will sefinity keep them locked up now.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Our orpington was sitting on her eggs for five days, but on the following day she was not sitting on the nest and when we inspected the eggs and touch them they were cold. She is back sitting on them again patiently for eight days. Will there be any problem for those eggs?

They might still be fine. You could check them by candling next time you get a chance. They may just be a day later hatching.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Sorry. Double post.

 

[Glasshen]

Poppy, I am so sorry about all those chickens, how sad for you all.

Karlamarie, I put a small bowl of water and one of feed within reach for my broody. They were small ramekins, only held about four ounces each. We never saw her eat, but she would take small amounts over the day and didn't have to leave her nest before she had chicks. Since she did not hatch eggs, she was only broody until I got chicks for her, so it was about two weeks. I would take her off the nest so she could poop, and it didn't matter initially if she decided not to brood. After she had the chicks she only wanted their food there, and she still wasn't pooping much, so I took her out to poop, then right back in to the chicks. She didn't want her feed around them, she was teaching by example, so she ate the chick food only.

 

[stonykill]

discovered a cool thing this morning. I go out to take care of the girls and boys. "Mama" will hear me, and get off the nest and bang on the sides of the tin shed for me to let her out 1st. "Mama" AND one of her blue offspring from last year came charging out angry at the world! So mother and daughter are sitting on eggs in the same building! Pretty cool! They walked around together, ate together, drank together, preened together, then in a row, walked back in their shed.