- Apr 26, 2011
- 32
- 0
- 21
Aloha Iheartchicks. Your hen is indeed broody. A fever develops in the breast and she must set. Whether you take her eggs; whether you move her; no matter. This is nature. If you have fertile eggs and want chicks, slip them under her and be patient for 21 days. If she is in a coop with others, they may add to her brood. I use a soft pencil and X the ones under my setting hen, X each additional one for a few days, then collect any laid after that. They are easy to tell apart. The eggs under the hen for a few days will become very shiny. The new ones have a rougher texture. Make sure she is safe, has fresh water and food close by, and can stretch, dust, move about. She will leave the nest a short time each day to allow the eggs to cool a bit. When she returns and settles in, she will turn them naturally. If another hen settles in to lay in the nest, the broody one will wait until she leaves.
If you do not want chicks, or have no fertile eggs, you have two options. Leave her be. Take any eggs deposited by others. She will eventually return to normal. Or gently move her off the nest each day and put her out. She will fuss and try to return, but the fever will eventually break and she will go back to laying. All is well. She is a healthy hen doing her work. You sound like a very watchful and good owner. j mccabe
If you do not want chicks, or have no fertile eggs, you have two options. Leave her be. Take any eggs deposited by others. She will eventually return to normal. Or gently move her off the nest each day and put her out. She will fuss and try to return, but the fever will eventually break and she will go back to laying. All is well. She is a healthy hen doing her work. You sound like a very watchful and good owner. j mccabe
