Questions about a broody hen.

[henry19952]

1. I have a bantam that just recently went broody. However, she refuses to sit ON the 'eggs' (actually golfballs) in her nest. She just scoots them away from her. If I was to put real fertile eggs under her, would she sit on them? Or is there something wrong with her? Eggbound?

2. How long can I wait to put eggs under her if I was to do it?

3. Where would I put her? In the house away from the others? I only have 1 coop.

 

[Judy]

Never heard of a broody kicking the eggs out before. Maybe her genetics are just mixed up, and maybe she is sick rather than broody. I've had sick or injured chickens stay in the nest, I guess just as we might stay in bed when sick. I would not try to have her hatch eggs with her doing this.

Some people do let a broody set in the coop with the flock; I've done it and gotten chicks; it's been a while, I'm sure I lost some, but I always got some too. Mark the eggs with a Sharpie and check under her at least twice a day and remove any added eggs. When I did it I checked the coop several times a day. Sometimes I'd find her on the wrong nest, sometimes another hen would be setting on the eggs to be hatched, different things. The eggs can cool off a bit and still hatch. Not the safest way to do it for sure -- but if you have no choice, at least it will break the broodiness if she hatches some.

Some people do put them in the house -- personally, I would not.