VERY broody hen... have a question :)

[JanaBanana1]

I have a black sex-link that is VERY broody right now.. I don't have a rooster so I got fertilized eggs from a friend... she sat on them for 30 days.. {NASTY!} Sadly none of them hatched because the gal thought the eggs got too cold from the time she collected to the time I got them. So yesterday I cleaned out the nasty eggs, added new bedding and 4 freshly collected fertilized eggs. She went back on the nest

I was so happy!

I figure she will stay on the nest until there are no more eggs or until they hatch. I read somewhere that some hens will do this. So far so good. Has anyone here experienced this before? My friend thought she would most likely abandon the nest when I took out the old eggs and added new. I just put a little dish of food and water in there and she rarely leaves... she is going to be one good mama IF they hatch.
Thanks

 

[Happy Chooks]

Sounds like you have a determined mama hen! Hopefully this batch hatches for her.

 

[Kitty Cat]

This past summer I had 4 hens sit and hatch out baby chicks. She sounds like she would be a pretty good mama. I keep my broody hen in a cage with her eggs and move her to a bigger cage when the chicks hatch and then keep them there until she starts to abandon them, which is a good couple months. Then I let everyone out and fend for themselves. However if the chicks are getting picked on too aggressively I will move them elsewhere to ensure their survival. After a couple months you'll be able to tell rooster from hen. Hopefully you won't have any roosters, they get picked on more than others and can be bothersome to a degree. Broody hens can be fairly disgusting but if you clean the cage too much she may abandon the nest, or attack you. Broody hens get up from their nest every couple days to eat and drink, so don't worry about her health. I usually worm my broody hen while she's sitting just to make sure. Most hens are good mothers and will take care of their chicks however, I happen to have one of the freaks of nature who kills her own chicks, in which case I have to take the chicks from her. If this happens to you don't worry the chicks absorb the yolk right before they hatch and therefore have enough food and water for three days and are fairly independent.

Of course if your chicks hatch (which hopefully they will) be careful not to stick your hand in the cage, mama hens are ruthless and will attack anything that they think will threaten their babies.

Hope this helped.
Good Luck!!

 

[JanaBanana1]

Thanks

She is in the hen house with the rest of the hens right now.. 2 of the other hens actually peck at her when she comes out to stretch her legs or anything...I hope she is able to protect them when they hatch or we will have to come up with another plan. I do have a cage, but it wouldn't be big enough for her and chicks.

 

[3chimama]

Sounds pretty good! Have fun!

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Good job mama hen! If this time fails, I would be very tempted to just buy a couple of day old chicks and sneak them in, because she DESERVES it!

 

[JanaBanana1]

I would love to do that... but I don't think the feed stores have chicks anymore and are not getting them until spring. =/ She does deserve them

 

[Happy Chooks]

Depends on the feed store. My feed store carries chicks until October.