So I have a broody sitting on eggs.....any advice?

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MaryZoe said:
Yes. that is a legitimate concern. But since nature is calling her to brood, you might let it happen. If you have time and resources to cook up some eggs for her every couple of days, or give her some treats with apple cider vinegar and probiotics (yogurt), those extra nutrients will surely help her to keep up her energy levels. But be prepared if she is not the best mom. My young broodies switch nests often and forget which eggs they are brooding. They are likely to have low hatch rates (if I allow them to actually hatch their own and their sisters' eggs). That's why I have started to give them wooden eggs and then provide them chicks when they are expecting them. :)
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I like this approach too, since my broodies on nests tend to lose their eggs to the cats. Strangely, the cats leave the chicks alone - too much butt whipping by broody hens, I guess. I have 14 eggs in the incubator right now for 2 broodies that I have. If most of them hatch, I'll split the chicks up and give half to each hen. If I should only have one broody when they hatch, she'll get them all!
 
Kessel23 said:
Also, if you are looking to break a broody you can do the same thing I recommended before but just not put the eggs in with her. Unless she is crazy and starts to incubate the floor, she should snap out of her broody stage and start to lay again.
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You need a mesh bottom on the floor of the cage so that her belly dries out. If she can still set, the broody spell won't break.
 
WhatAboutBob? said:
I might not need to worry then. I may just set the nest down on the coop floor after they hatch, if they hatch.
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I had a broody that set on a nest in the front yard under the azalea bushes 2 years ago in June and July. The chicks hatched out around the 4th or 5th. I couldn't reach her back in the bushes, so she did it all herself. The day after I noticed chicks under her, she brought then around the house and back to the barn where the other chickens live. The other hens and rooster were curious, but did not attempt to approach or harm the babies in any way. The mom, a Silver Spangled hamburg was very protective and did a great job of taking care of the chicks. Of course, things happen and only 2 of the four chicks made it, and both were roosters. One is now the flock master and the other was taken by a predator. My junior rooster is the son of the current flock master. I hatched him in the incubator last year, along with a pullet. They were included with a group of EE chicks I was brooding in the house, so that's the subflock they hang around with.
 
Just g
WhatAboutBob? said:
I walked into the Coop yesterday and 1 of my GLWs was sitting on 3 eggs. So I chased her out and took the eggs away from her.... How does she repay me? Ha! She now sitting on either 4 or 5 eggs this afternoon. I have to admire her tenacity, so now I am a victim of “Chicken Math”.

She is still a pullet, so I have concerns and reservations. Skeptical on survival...any advice on anything to help out this misguided Pullet? I tried telling her she was crazy already, and it didn’t work.
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Why not let her take a shot at hatching. Nothing to lose.
 

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