runaway broody with unfertilized eggs

[chickenchick12]

I have a 1 1/2 year old Old English named Sneaker who is broody. She has been gone for 19 days but I know she is alright because she shows up every few days to get water. The problem is that our only rooster is full size and to big to breed her. Will she go on forever not hatching the eggs or will she recover and come after 21 days? If I follow her and replace her eggs with fertile ones will she hatch and raise them? Just curious.

 

[Judy]

It is unlikely she will quit after 21 days. It may take weeks and weeks, even a few months. Usually you can put fertile eggs on a broody, and they will continue to set until the chicks hatch; this is best done after dark. It's probably best to try to break a broody who will not be given fertile eggs to hatch, as broodiness is hard on them; they are more prone to parasites, will lose weight, and can even die. the most common method is to put her in a wire cage with food and water but no bedding, and with the cage propped up so there is air circulation under her. Usually they will give up within a few days. more info:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/encouraging-or-discouraging-broodiness-in-your-hens

 

[chickenchick12]

I found her nest! It is concealed under a willow tree that is near our chicken coop. Now should I give her a fertile egg? She has some of her own but they aren't fertile. A fresh and probably fertile egg is being layed RIGHT NOW! But the egg is from an Auracauna so after about a month the chick will be bigger than the hen(who is an exceptionally small Old English) . Will she still take care of it?

 

[chickenchick12]

I gave her some eggs! An Auracuana egg and a Wyandotte egg. When I got to her nest I put the eggs in and took one of hers out. I cracked it out of curiosity and found a weird orange jelly and no yoke

. I cracked another one of hers and it looked like the yoke had been whipped up. What does this mean?

 

[farnorth]

She will probably take care of the chicks even if they will be larger than her.

As for the condition of the unfertile eggs....they are just old eggs and will eventually get rotten.

 

[chickenchick12]

A sprinkler that was near Sneaker's(the broody hen) nest has soaked the whole place including the broody. I saw her near the nest and she was all wet. I don't think she was off them long but how long can they go without her warmth. Right now the eggs are under a substitute broody and Sneaker is eating and drinking.