should i feed a broody hen with chicks while on the nest?

[hunt]

I was wondering if i should provide feed on the nest for my broody hen and chicks.Or if i should let her get them of the nest to feed them.

 

[Jbnealconstruct]

I have a broody hen that I've just set some eggs under, she will starve herself if she's not fed in the nest. Over the winter, she became broody during a cold snap and it was too cold to put her in the broody box, I thought we might lose her. We even hand fed her treats (meal worms) just so she'd eat something!

We've already got a dish of food in the nest with her just in case. She goes broody at the drop of a hat, so we've decided to use it to our advantage, we're hatching some eggs that a friend provided as none of her hens have gone broody yet. We'll keep two or three and the rest will go back to the friend's flock. We actually have two broody and sitting on a dozen eggs between them, we'll see how many we have hatch. Optimally, I think it would be best for them to get up off the nest to do their business of eating and pooping, but I don't think letting her starve is the best option either. She has both options!

 

[Hatechickens]

I THINK U SHOULD EAT HER YUMMY

 

[chickencrazy999]

Report!

 

[iwiw60]

I THINK U SHOULD EAT HER YUMMY

I don't know if you (Hatechickens) were joking or not....irregardless, HOW RUDE!

 

[donrae]

First off folks, don't feed the trolls

Okay, to the OP...you don't need to feed a hen who is broody or has just hatched chicks. She'll usually stay on the nest once the first chick hatches for another day or so, to give any stragglers time to hatch. After that, she takes them off the nest to eat and drink and be chickens...that's when I clean the nest of shell debris and/or unhatched eggs. Just make sure the littles can access the feed and water and you're good!

 

[Saggybottomgirl]

Quote: So the hen won't eat for the entire three week period?

 

[dannyisforreal]

Not directly on the nest. but yes let her eat

 

[donrae]

So the hen won't eat for the entire three week period?

Okay, so NOT what I meant. The question was "should I provide feed on the nest". No, you don't need to provide feed on the nest. It's a good thing for a hen to get off the nest every day, eat and drink, poop, quick dust bath. Keeping food right at the nest encourages her not to do those things, and her body is designed to get up and move around once a day or so. Of course you need to provide feed and water available to the hen while she's brooding. If she's brooding in the coop, she can just continue to eat and drink where everyone else does, she does not need special feed or water stations.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I was wondering if i should provide feed on the nest for my broody hen and chicks.Or if i should let her get them of the nest to feed them.

No, the only time they need feed within reach of the nest is immediately after some of the eggs hatch but some still are waiting to hatch. Then she can keep the new ones warm while eating. That is the only time I keep feed within reach of the nest.

If she already has chicks hatched out, just make sure the feeder and waterer are close to the ground so that the chicks can reach them. Put some rocks in the waterer so the chicks don't drown if that seems a concern with your waterer.

Also ensure the chicks can get in and out of the nest ok.