Survivor chicken gone broody ... no eggs though

[TwoChicks]

Ok, we have a single survivor chicken that disappeared a few weeks ago. We assumed she was no longer surviving, but about a two weeks ago, we found her sitting on a nest of 13 eggs! You go girl!!

We took away 9, left her with 4 marked eggs and she is still sitting on them and not laying new ones. It's been almost 10 days since she laid the last egg. She is not getting off the nest, so I put some cracked corn near her and I hear her pecking at it after I leave the barn.

Will she eventually move off the nest, or do I need to move her off of it and remove all the eggs.

No roos, so no fertile eggs.

WWYD?

 

[chuckzoo]

IMO if she is sitting on infertile eggs she is just wasting her energy, either get her some fertile ones if there is still time or removed the eggs.

I have read that if you want to break her broodiness put an ice pack in the nest.

 

[PunkinPeep]

Oh, they're not fertile?

Then i would try to break her broodiness. Use the ice pack or some other way to cool her down so she'll go back to normal. She could sit there a while hoping for chicks and not getting them.

 

[TwoChicks]

Since she is free-range and there are lots of predators around, I think I'll try to break the broody. Now, will she eventually start laying without being broody?

 

[chuckzoo]

Yes, she will go back to laying in acouple of weeks.

 

[upintheholler]

You could get someone to send you some fertile eggs to set under her??? I would be glad to get some in the mail for you tomorrow if your interested... I have several breeds laying right now and my incubator is almost at the full mark, LOL... Shipping on a small box of eggs is not very much at all, between 5-10$ depending one which side of the country your on. I will send enough for her to sit for the cost of shipping... Just let me know..
Donna-Marie

 

[chuckzoo]

Quote:
Wow there really are some cool people on this site! What a nice gesture - I would certainly take her up on this especially since you say you only have one survivor hen - then you'll have chickies!!!!!

 

[TwoChicks]

Quote:
Wow ... that is SO tempting!! I'll take you up on that offer if it's still open after next weekend. Oh wait!!! I'm going to be in Pigeon Forge this weekend ... are you close to there?

 

[upintheholler]

IMO that is too long to wait to set eggs, it is very hard on a broody hen to go that long, because she doesn't get up and eat or drink like she should be. Maybe the next time she goes broody you can PM me and I can send you some eggs then? You really should take her eggs and try to break her brooding, it will be much better for her.

 

[upintheholler]

sorry double post...