Super broody hen, should i remove?

[americanchicks]

Hey all,
I have a broody ameraucana that i put on a nest about 10 days ago. Im concerned because I have never seen her leave the nest. I have taken her out of the nest once a day so she can eat and drink. The past three days she hasn't eaten or drank anything after taking her off. All she does is fluff, cluck and try as hard as she can to get back to the eggs. She's lost a bit of weight and seems very listless.

Do you think I should remove her from the nest ?

I have another broody hen Hen a welsummer legbar mix. She's eating and drinking just fine when I take her out of the nest box. And has a good weight. I was going to put her in the boody break box. But now I'm thinking I may switch, put her on the eggs and put the Ameraucana in the booty break box instead.

 

[CrazyCochin]

Hmm. Some broody mamas are very dedicated. Is there anyway you could put food and water inside wherever she is on her nest? I truly believe that the mother hens know what to do.

If she does continue to almost decline, then I would at least let the other broody babysit the eggs while you try and get her to eat and drink separately.

 

[NatJ]

I have another broody hen Hen a welsummer legbar mix. She's eating and drinking just fine when I take her out of the nest box. And has a good weight. I was going to put her in the boody break box. But now I'm thinking I may switch, put her on the eggs and put the Ameraucana in the booty break box instead.

I think you could do it either way, leaving the eggs with the current broody or giving them to the other broody.

Since you intend to break one of the two anyway, and you are worried about the health of the one currently on the eggs, I agree that it could make sense to give the eggs to the newer one and break the one that's not doing so well. I don't know if that is the "best" choice, but I am sure it could be a "good" choice.