What day would a broody stop leaving the nest?

[BerthaBoo]

Hi All! First time letting a broody mama sit on eggs. She's got a clutch of 7 that were all viable at day 14. She's so determined I've been physically removing her from her nest once a day to eat/drink/poop since day 3, as I noticed she wasn't leaving at all. She's currently on day 17 - when should I stop taking her off for her daily meal and bathroom break? When do hens normally stop leaving the nest for their quick breaks, and when is it absolutely necessary she just hunkers down to finish incubating?

 

[fluffycrow]

I've noticed that my bird sits without getting up the last few days before they hatch, the typical period we call "lockdown" when incubating artificially. Problem is, sometimes the embryos develop faster, or slower, meaning lockdown might come quicker or later. The females seem to know when to do it, but for us humans it can be hard to tell

 

[Molpet]

Most of mine stay put the first 3 days and 3 days before hatching. Some of mine get off every day in between for 10 minutes to a couple hours. Some get off every 3 days.
I let them do their own thing whenever possible.
They have been hatching eggs for thousands of years.
I do mark and remove extras so there's not a staggered hatch.

 

[Ridgerunner]

She's so determined I've been physically removing her from her nest once a day to eat/drink/poop since day 3, as I noticed she wasn't leaving at all.

I've had a hen leave the nest twice a day and stay off for over an hour each time. I've had a hen leave once every morning and stay off for only 15 minutes. I've had several I never saw off of the nest the entire incubation but I know they are leaving because they are not pooping in the nest. Like Molpet I try to let them do their own thing. They know more about being broody by instinct than I ever will.

She's currently on day 17 - when should I stop taking her off for her daily meal and bathroom break? When do hens normally stop leaving the nest for their quick breaks, and when is it absolutely necessary she just hunkers down to finish incubating?

Even under a broody, eggs can hatch as much as two full days early or late. When the chicks internal pip they start talking to the hen and she talks back so she knows they are coming. I leave it up to her to decide what to do.

I check under a broody every day after the others have laid to remove any eggs that are not marked. Usually that is by lifting her up enough to check under her but sometimes I set her on the coop floor. When I set her down she usually freezes for a few seconds and then either darts off to eat, drink, and poop or dashes back to the nest. When it gets close to hatch I just lift her up until I see some type of activity under her and then I just leave her alone until she brings the chicks off of the nest. Up until they start hatching I need to check for new eggs but at that point I leave her alone and let her take care of everything.

 

[Perris]

Great advice from all above; leave it to her to decide when to come off. Keep yourself occupied in the meantime by researching what to do when she does bring the chicks off the nest; be ready for them when they come, and be ready to support her, because she'll be starving, and in need of a good dustbath.

 

[BerthaBoo]

Thanks for the answers everyone! I popped her off the nest once more on day 17 for a quick poop, and then let her get right back on. It's -10 C here, so she's been in the garage where it's warmer, which is maybe why she wasn't wanting to get off the nest, since it's an environment she doesn't frequent (although she has been in there before, she knows that's where I keep the treats and has followed me in more than once lol).

Since then I've left her alone except putting her food and water close so she doesn't have to leave. Day 21 now, I can hear chirps under her and took a quick peep and the eggs I could see have externally pipped!