Ummm...can a hen go broody without a rooster around?!

[nanawendy]

My EE went broody with no roo in sight... So after breaking her last year (I wasn't up for that again) I went to a neighbor and got 2 eggs that were "roo-ized". I now have 2 darling BR chicks in my food storage shed with their oh so happy mama.

 

[NewEnglandChick]

Thanks for the help...I guess I'll just have to post & hopefully someone local will have some eggs that are ready to go!

 

[NewEnglandChick]

Quote:
BTW - how do you break a broody hen?

 

[terry L. henson]

All right, I've got 1 RIR hen who has been sitting in the same nesting box for about 3 days now. I know she's not moving because two of the other girls usually lay in that same box and have now been forced to lay in a neighboring nesting box. She looks flattened out and keeps an eye on me when I feed them, change water, add treats and open/close the coop - but she doesn't make any noise or get up. This is only my 2nd year raising chickens so my inexperience causes me to question just about everything they do. I've haven't had other hens act like this, so has she gone broody? (She's almost 1 year old, btw).

Here's my true ignorance...I have no rooster. Is it even possible for her eggs to hatch without a rooster around?!

If not...how long will she sit on them before she realizes nothing's going to happen?

The other girls don't seem to bother her - they go free range during the day, and are perched on their roost at night - so do I need to seperate her if they're all still getting along?

 

[Ducksandchickens]

I’m having this same problem with my hen. She’s going broody without a cockerel

 

[Ducksandchickens]

I’m having this same problem with my hen. She’s going broody without a cockerel

Or rooster

 

[HAPPYCHICKENLADY17]

Oh yeah. Have one right now, unfortunately. Fortunately for her, I didn't get her in the pot before she lost too much weight. This is the third time in about 6 months and I am over it. I think I will rehome her to somebody that wants to hatch under a broody. I just want working girls in my flock.

UGCM

is she still available

 

[HAPPYCHICKENLADY17]

I checked on her today...she's still in the box

I knelt down beside her and petted her and she fluffed right up and kind of growled at me. (My husband says chickens don't growl...I beg to differ!!!)

Anyway...since the eggs stand no chance of hatching, how long will she sit on them? (I don't have any idea how many are under her. I didn't want to pick her up and disturb her.)

How would I be able to find someone with guaranteed "hatchable" eggs? And how will I know if she'd sit on them long enough to hatch them?

I don't mind keeping her around (I love all my girls) but now I'm hoping my new batch of chicks has a rooster so we can really get the gang growing!

chickens do growl....my yokohama sounds like a pit bull ready to attack, ive touched her and looked under her and she has not tried to peck me...she is actually sitting on a ceramic egg....lol

 

[Cazook]

move the hen into a separate cage with a perch, food, water etc. after 3-4 days she should start eating again and can be returned to rest of flock. since the eggs she is sitting on aren't fertile there is no point in having her waste her time - going broody is quite tough on hens because they can stop eating, drinking etc.

 

[nuthatched]

this thread is ancient.....